Snapshots

With a flurry of markets, an extremely hectic week at work, and working Christmas Eve for the first time, Christmas arrived with both a bang and a whimper. Not that it was bad in anyway, far from it, just that is appeared very suddenly, with a wave of exhaustion and the sudden realisation that lots of things just hadn't been done.

Nevertheless, it arrived, and when it did it was perhaps the best yet. No obligations, not stress, no pretensions. Just the two of us, and the crazy kittehs, in the house, drinking cranberry and fizz cocktails, making a mess and trying to catch up with ourselves.

Here's a small snapshot of what we've been up to over the past week. I will be back tomorrow with news of an exciting month to come.

The tree was decked, with lots of nice things placed underneath.

I indulged in a very small amount of Christmas baking, certainly not as much as I would like.

Christmas Eve rolled around, I dragged myself up the hill for a festive day at work while N dutifully opened the last advent present.

Finally, after a nice long sleep the big day rolled around...

...and was spent mostly enjoying new books and purry dozing company

We went to the Boxing Day match...on the 27th...

...while the kittehs hung out together (somewhat reluctantly).

And then rounded off the week with a very slow, dictionary filled game of scrabble in Italian. We're getting there, slowly.

p.s. I looked back at my resolutions from last year, and was pleased that I definitely fulfilled the first three. As for the fourth, I feel that it should be an ongoing one, because you can never remind the people around you how thankful you are.

Mulled apple juice; or, something to fix the lurgy.

After a weekend of standing outside, trying to be both festive and warm, it seems I have contracted the lurgy. I thought I was fine. It didn't feel that cold on Saturday, I had a great time on the market, did well and even got a glass of port to keep me going.
What could go wrong I ask you?!

Then I woke up on Sunday and felt bleargh. That's the only word for it really. I spent the entire day lying on the sofa being pathetic and complaining about it. (I should warn you, I'm not very good at being ill, it's a bit like watching someone go through the seven stages of grief, accept I never get much beyond denial and whinging).

I gaily got up for work on Monday feeling better and determined not to let it get to me. But by the time I had finished my shift, and come home and done a mammoth session in the jam kitchen, I had to accept that I was feeling more tired that I should be. I woke up this morning and the lurgy was back with a vengeance. I don't like it. I don't like letting people down and not being able to go to work, I don't like being stuck at home knowing there are a million things I should be doing and no being able to summon up the energy for as little as making toast.

Now, where is all this whinging going, you've probably started asking yourself? Well, it's heading towards my favourite discovery of this year's festive season. Mulled apple juice.
No, really. It's amazing. It's such a simple thing, and yet it immediately makes you feel warm and festive inside. Plus, it's a completely alcohol and guilt free drink that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike any time of the day. (Although my gut instinct says that a dash of some brandy in there would be a super addition). I know it doesn't look like much, but the transformation when you put the three ingredients together and heat them is something very special indeed.

It's so simple, it can be multiplied almost infinitely, so you can slake the thirst of any size crowd, or just indulge yourself. I give you, the genius that is, mulled apple juice:

1 mug cloudy, best quality you can afford, apple juice, per person. (I use some from a local farm which is every so slightly tart, which works well as it stops the end product being too sweet).
1 skant tsp honey per person
1/2 tsp mixed spice, per person.

Place all of the above ingredients into a pan and warm together gently as the honey dissolves. You want it hot, but don't let it boil.

Pour back into a mug. Drink.

See! It's that easy, and if you use the best quality ingredients you can it's utterly delicious. Go, make it now...and if you do, could I have a mug please?

Time out, and dates for your diary

I met up with a group of friends tonight for an early festive tipple. As I arrived and was saying hello one of the greeted me with "it was so exciting to see you mentioned in London's Time Out this week." Which I responded to with a "wahh?!", a dazed look and stunned silence. I thought she was joking. But after a couple of drinks and on the way back to the tube station I was marched into a shop, where she picked up the magazine and read proudly that this year's Christmas Food Market in Covent Garden Piazza will include: "guest appearance from some of the hottest food bloggers...baker and jam-maker Rebecca shares the wit of her At Number 98 Blog"
Seriously. I nearly fell over! I mean. Wow! I need to up my game in this little space clearly. If they are going to say such darn nice things about me (and two other very talented people, Niamh Shields - Eat Like a Girl and Chris Dreyfus - Silver and Claret) I really ought to start bringing you a bit more wit and certainly some more recipes.
So I bring you a promise, that I will try and be present more often in this little space, not matter what the pace of the jam world!

But before I begin hassling you with recipes and wit (?!) I shall first bombard you with some dates for your diary.
Calling all those in London and the South East: No. 98 Limited will be rocking the following Christmas markets with Good Cheer and Good Preserves. If you're in the area come and say hello, and have a taste!

Dec. 3rd 2pm-6pm Reigate High Street, Surrey

Dec 9th and 11th 10.30am - 8pm COVENT GARDEN PIAZZA! It's a long cold day, please come and say hello!

Dec 17th 10am-4pm Reigate Community Centre, Surrey.

The official website will also be updated shortly to include a full product list. I will be offering a limited mail order service, if you'd like to buy online. However, please note that postage on jars is a lot, so will be costly, especially as I will only be using Royal Mail Recorded Delivery to ensure tracking. If you'd like to enquire about pricing you can email info (at) no98 (dot) co.uk.

Where I've been...and where I'm going

Hi. I'm still here, honest. I've spent the day sorting. The kind of day that tidies the mind as well as the house. In the midst of it all I popped in here only to discover it's been well over a month since my last post. Oops!

I'm afraid it couldn't really be helped as it's been a ridiculously busy month, and the next is going to be soo much worse! All in a good way though. I've been busy at work, busy at play, but mostly busy frantically getting business stuff ready for the upcoming festivities. I have six Christmas markets on the agenda in the next month, and have already done two. I had no idea things would take off this quickly, so it's been all hands on deck, or rather, on stove, to make sure it's all ready. It's stressful, and exhilarating all at the same time.

I will be posting all the details of the markets I'll be on in the next few days, just in case any of you are able to make it. In the meantime, here's a quick photo round-up of what's been going on.
Probably the biggest news is that I got published. I'm finally in print, and raving about jam and it's uses as a tool for social networking; the way that re-connecting with artisan food making can connect us with a whole host of other people and communites all around the world who are doing the same thing. It's part of a great Cultural Cookbook, which, if you're so inclined, can be purchased over here.
After that I did a few early Christmas markets,

squeezed in a spot of knitting (with no help from the cats) and got busy in the jam kitchen and produced utter chaos in my office trying to get pre-orders packed and ready.
I also got busy in the kitchen at working making some lovely cakes to order. Oh how I wish I got to take this one home. We're not having a Christmas cake this year...perhaps we can have a Christmas cheesecake instead?
Then last week it was the BBC Food and Farming Awards, which I was lucky enough to get a ticket for. I really want to write a longer post about it, as it was an incredibly inspiring event. (and I did a bit of whooping when Locatelli and Huge F-W gave their awards, much to the embarrassment of N and the annoyance of the lady unfortunate to sit next to me!)
The other highlight of the last month? Rediscovering the nice glasses...
...and the delicious cocktails you can make to put in them! No harm in getting festive a little bit early! (above, whiskey and ginger liqour, below, the classic G&T).
Today marks the end of the "free" weekends before the madness begins. I have to say that with the house tidy, and a dash of gin in my system I'm rather looking forward to the craziness that is coming my way. I just hope that I can make it here a bit more often to share it with you.

(p.s. although I haven't been here I have been lurking on the interwebs reading up on what everyone else is doing...I may not comment lots, but I'm loving reading about it all)

Instant Gratification

Things are moving so fast here, I'm in a new work routine (working Monday's for the first time in what seems like forever!), frantically trying to get ideas and products ready for the Christmas markets, and looking beyond that to our long term plans.
Sometimes in the midst of all the pace and the looking ahead, planning and waiting you need a smidgen of instant gratification.

So, with six fat quarters and a Sunday afternoon in the house alone I decided it was time to dust off the sewing machine and throw together a new quilt for the living room. I did the top and cut the backing in no time at all, then waited until this afternoon to hunt out the wadding. I literally had just enough, by millimetres. It was clearly meant to be.
And so now, as I plot projections and think about exciting new ventures that I have to wait until the new year for, I will snuggle up under my quick quilt and enjoy the autumnal light in the afternoon.

Happy New Year!

Confused? Well, for us September has always felt like the new beginning. It's partly the ingrained academic year feeling, where you have the indisputable and desperate urge to go out and buy new stationary, and partly because at this time each year we try and get away on holiday, if only for a few days, to clear our heads, recharge our batteries and reflect on things.
The last couple of years it's been a hectic three day dash to our favouritist place in the whole wide world. This year things were hanging heavy on us. It's felt like a long hard tough year for us in many ways, and we couldn't do it anymore. So out came the credit cards and sod it we were going to have a "proper" holiday. No family, no dashing to and fro. Two weeks of relaxing and remembering what it's like to be ourselves.
I remember now, and it's lovely. We've come back refreshed and energised, with new year's resolutions and PLANS. Yes, capital letters and all. All of which was helped along by large expanses of sea, sky, and a healthy amount of Prosecco!
I think it's going to be a very exciting year indeed...

Life on the market

I spent the last two Thursdays standing up for ten hours remembering what it used to be like being a market trader.
                                  
My first job when in London was working on Borough Market. It was cold (or hot, but mostly you remember the cold), early mornings, hard graft, and huge amounts of fun. I stopped because I wanted to focus on studying and needed my weekends back for play, but I have a huge fondness for it, and have been told that when I talk about those days I light up.


So when I was offered a guest pitch on the Covent Garden Real Food market for two weeks this summer I jumped at the chance, just as I did two years ago. I couldn't believe that someone would be kind enough to offer me my very own little pitch, and trust me to fill it with my preserves.
                                     
It was hard. Schlepping everything on the train took two of us, a bit of help from bemused businessmen ("what an earth is in this?" "jam" "..."), some apologetic looks at the commuters who wondered why on earth their train was suddenly full of suitcases, a trolley and bags, and the use of some muscles I didn't even think I had. But we got it all there, and after an emergency coffee and pastries run, set up the stall. Week one was really wet to start out, and involved some quick thinking as to how to lay out the stall. I fortunately had my wonderful Mum on had to help out. Week two I was on my own to set up and it was warm but windy. Fortunately I had the Jacob's Ladder people on the stall behind me to help me with coffee and moral support and Lady J arriving to give my afternoon a well needed boost.

Once I was fuelled up with coffee and had the stall set up it was just a case of waiting to see what the day would bring. No matter what, a day on the market will always feel long. You stand the whole time and must somehow keep up your morale and smile and try not to punch people who make stupid comments about your produce (these people are rare, but somehow always manage to appear at the point that for some reason - rain, cold feet, hunger etc - you are at your lowest ebb). 

It made me realise just how much I love markets. I left each evening tired, achey, thoroughly confused about the Great British Public and yet very satisfied. For all you have to be thick-skinned, and prepared to stand in the cold, and lift heavy things, it's also some of the most rewarding work I've ever done. There is nothing like that moment when a passerby becomes a customer after tasting something you've spent days, weeks, months, even years working on. Two examples of this really stand out. The first was when a girl paused and before she bent to try my strawberry cocktail jam said "I don't really like jam, but Mum's a fan, maybe she's like this" at this point she tasted the jam and made a whole barrage of "oooh, ahhh, mmmm...." noises, dashed off and returned with her whole family and promptly bought three jars! The second was a bloke who said, "yeah, well, Dad makes his own chutney" then prompted by his girlfriend tried the taster "oh wow, that's amazing, maybe we should buy some and take it to Dad and tell him that's how it's done" Harsh to his Dad, but lovely for me!
                                  
It's rare that you get that genuine and spontaneous a response to something you've done. Of course you have to take the good with the bad, and accept that not everyone will like what you produce, but for those moments when someone does and chooses to buy something you have produced it is worth all the hard work, cold feet, and midnight labelling sessions.

I love the markets, long may I get the opportunity to sell on them. Thank you so much to Covent Garden Real Food, I hope I did you proud and that one day you might invite me again.