If you see me, say hello!

Phew. What a week it's been already! How can it only be Tuesday? (but oh, thank goodness it is).
This week is the start of two weeks where I will be spending Thursdays at Covent Garden Real Food market! I will be there from 10am-6pm hoping it doesn't rain, that people want to buy my preserves, and maybe even squeezing in a bit of knitting and nattering with my Mum, who is amazingly dashing down from the North tomorrow night to help out. (Isn't she wonderful...slave labour at it's best!).
As a result I have spent the last two days not only processing huge bags of generously donated fruit and making the first of the autumn jam and chutney, but also desperately trying to get everything ready for Thursday. Today I have spent six hours standing over a stove, and at every moment that I haven't needed to be stirring, checking and stirring again I have been labelling and organising and making lists and wondering what I've forgotten.
Now I am going to stop. I'm not finished, I just can't stand up much more today. So I made cookies, and am about to pour a glass of cider. Not a traditional cookie accompaniment, but today it just feels right.
If you're in the Covent Garden area on Thursday, pop by and say hello. I'll be in the corner of the piazza nearest the London Transport Museum, being excited about jam!

St John.

On Tuesday I found myself with time to kill in London. It's been a long time since this has been the case. Despite the fact that I travel up to London for work twice a week, I never have time to just wander about, it's always a dash to work and then a dash home again.

So upon realisation that I had almost three hours to myself before meeting a friend for lunch, I felt both excited and at a loss. I didn't really know what to do or where to go (and having a ridiculously large rucksack on my back full of posh dresses and toiletries meant I didn't really want to be walking around the whole time.)I struck upon the idea of pottering through Spitalfield's and then onto Brick Lane. Then I got distracted, because on the way I stumbled across St John Bread and Wine. How had I missed this on the countless other occasions I've been to this area of London? Seriously, sometimes I amaze myself with my complete lack of awareness!

Now, I know it might seem odd to be so excited about a place famous for it's offal, given that I'm a vegetarian, but the whole reason for the St John Spitalfield's location is to show off their baking. I went in with the notion that I was just going to have a coffee, but the sourdough smell filled my nose and of course toast was inevitable.

So I sat, for an hour, peacefully sipping my coffee, munching my toast, reading my book, and very much enjoying the chefs sitting down to a brunch before the second round of hard graft began.
It was the perfect start to a very perfect day; first breakfast with a friend, second breakfast in a newly discovered place, lunch with another friend and then a chance encounter with my parents on their way back up north after a holiday in the States.

I only wish I hadn't been carrying so much as I would have bought bread. If you get a chance, go. Have coffee and the toast with honey. It shows off the sourdough, and the griddle lines on the bread are beautiful.

The Farmer's Market Exchange.

At the beginning of the summer I signed up to Siri's annual Farmer's Market exchange. It's always been great fun, and I love not only trawling my own farm shops, markets and deli's for inspiration, but also seeing what is on offer across the world when it arrives on my doorstep.

This year Siri couldn't have picked a better exchange partner for me, our similarities are just uncanny. A preserver, knitter, and all-round lover of local food and produce. What could be better? And in a really selfish way I knew this would mean a wonderful box of goodies, particularly in the jam department, and we all know that I'm nuts about jam!

Alas, I don't have any photos of my box before I sent it, but you can head on over the The Redhead's blog Handcrafted with Altitude and see what I sent. To my complete embarrassment, two of my jars had rather a rough trip and didn't arrive intact. But don't worry! Replacements have been sent, and hopefully they will have a better time of it.

As for my parcel. Well, I don't really know where to begin, it was packed to the brim with the most perfect (and utterly delicious) things. What's more, it arrived on the day we got back from holiday and was waiting on the porch. How perfect!
The homemade preserves got devoured first. A delicious Peach, ginger and vanilla was slathered on toast twice it was so tasty. I was supposed to save the blueberry, peach and Grand Marnier for the weekend to share with N, but I couldn't resist and had it as an afternoon snack on some crumpets. Both have been tucked into almost every day, carefully rationed, since the parcel arrived. They flavour combinations were totally new to me, and I've really enjoyed how they work together. Yum! However, the real delight for me was the Peach and Habanero sauce. Words cannot do justice to this amazing preserve. It's the perfect combination of clear sweet peach flavour, followed by the most wonderful warmth. I'm secretly hoping if I'm nice enough I might get another batch of this next year, as one small jar is not going to keep me sated!
Again, to show just how similar we are, we both put yarn in our packages, despite it being a little out of the requirements. I sent some special squishy British yarn, and when I opened my package the first thing I saw were four hanks of handspun (and award-winning, I now know!) yarn. How impressive is that?! Laceweight alpaca, heavy laceweight silk and some wonderful novelty black and white, which is screaming out to be my winter hat. Exactly what I needed to drag me away from obsessive sock knitting. I just hope I can do it justice.
Today I finally opened the other jar in the parcel. Honey from a friend with an organic farm. I love how much honey differs from area to area, and this has a lovely clear floral flavour and you can really taste the influence of the mountains and clear air of Colorado. I think this will be used pure on toast or in yoghurt. It's too special to mix with anything.
Perhaps the most unusual thing I received was some dark chocolate balsamic vinegar. Not something I've ever come across. I was intrigued, and I have to admit slightly sceptical, but over the weekend we had it straight out of the bottle drizzled over some home grown strawberries and it was divine. I can see this being a wonderful addition to late summer Eton Mess or over ice cream. Yum!

One thing that doesn't appear in any of the pictures is the mint and rosemary soap. I'm afraid it smelt so good that I opened it and used it in my shower before I could get a chance to take a picture. I don't know how the Redhead knew that I have a real weakness for rosemary, but this soap really hits the mark. It has a slight exfoliating element too, which is perfect for gently removing the dirt after being in the garden.

Hmmm...what have I missed? Oh yes, I got flowers and salad! Not literally, but little packets of seeds so I can grow my own. Isn't that a wonderful idea? I'm totally going to steal it. And I got granola (save that for when we have yoghurt so I can try it with the honey), plus a whole host of inspiring local magazines, and a farmer's market bag to put it all in, which has already had a outing into London!

I cannot thank the Redhead enough for her lovely and incredibly generous package. I hope that my second lot of jams makes it's way safely so that she finally gets to enjoy them.

And a huge thank you to Siri for matching us up so well, and hopefully providing me with another new blog friend.

He's just such a willing subject...

...that I can't resist an afternoon in the garden with Gatto!
I'm back, and slowly wading through emails and trying to motivate myself after a weekend in sunshine and humidity. Having failed to take a single photo the entire time I was away (the camera didn't even make it out of my bag, which is pretty shocking really...it was just too hot and I felt lazy), I thought a few snaps of Gatto might keep you going. He and his big brother (not such a willing subject, alas) have had a lovely weekend being pampered by Lady K, and seemed distinctly disappointed upon our return yesterday. Although not so much as to refuse food or strokes, but they wanted to let us know it was accepted begrudgingly.
In my next post I'll tell you all about the amazing box of goodies that was waiting for me upon our return. Yep! The Farmer's Market Exchange parcel arrived, and I'm one very luck blogger indeed!

You have to make these

I wasn't intending to post again before we go away, but then something happened in the kitchen and I just had to tell you about it.
It's been a while since I posted a recipe. Mostly because the only thing happening in my kitchen at the moment are mountains of jam, and partly because everything I've made recently that hasn't been jam hasn't really been post-worthy. We've been eating pretty simply, with bread and cheese with tomatoes being our usual evening meal. Occasionally with the odd addition of couscous salad or potatoes instead of bread.

But with one day left in my kitchen before heading off I wanted to make something a bit special. I wanted something to keep us going through car journeys, airport check-in, train rides, bus rides, and lugging suitcases around. Because much as I enjoy going away, there is all the hassle before you actually get anywhere of note, and I knew we'd need sustenance somewhere in the midst of the chaos.
I initially thought I would make my usual cinnamon rolls, but then I remembered a bag of amazing new flour from Wessex Mill that I picked up last week. It's apple and cinnamon bread flour. Oh yes! The smell alone is enough to make you swoon. Although it's designed for bread it's great mixed with plain flour to add depth to cakes, and so I decided to go ahead and use it for my cinnamon rolls.

Then, when it came to rolling out and filling the dough I had another brain wave. Why fill something already apply and cinnamony with more cinnamon...why not fill it with maple syrup and butter and pecans.
And thus the maple and pecan apple cinnamon roll was born! I cannot even begin to describe how amazing the kitchen smelt while I was baking these. I also must admit to immediately having to try one fresh from the oven. All I can say is...You. Have. To. Make. These.

Don't worry if you can't get the flour, just add a healthy dash of cinnamon and some chunks of dried apple to your flour mix. About a tablespoon of cinnamon and a 1/4 cup of apple should do it. Go on...you know these will taste amazing on Sunday morning. You can knock them out on Saturday, leave them to rest in the fridge overnight and then bake in the morning while you make the coffee. Perfect.
Maple and Pecan Apple Cinnamon Rolls - Makes around 8

Dough:
1/8 oz Active yeast
1/2 cup of warm milk (just warm to the touch)
1/4 cup soft brown sugar
1 tbsp melted butter
1 egg
2 cups of flour (either apple and cinnamon if you can get it, or just add 1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/4 cup dried apple pieces)

Filling:
2tbsp butter,
2tbsp maple syrup
1/4 soft brown sugar
large handful of pecans.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and leave to bloom for five minutes. In the meantime melt the butter, and add the sugar and egg, beating in together. Then add this to the yeast mixture. Add all of this to the flour and either knead with a dough hook in a mixture for ten minutes, or by hand until the dough is still a little sticky, but glossy. Cover, and leave to rise for a hour.

Melt together the butter and maple syrup. Combine the pecans and sugar either by pestle and mortar or in a food processor.

Knock back the dough and roll out on a floured surface to aprox. 1/4 inch thick. Brush the dough with the maple/butter mixture, making sure to cover the surface, but leaving some for glazing. Then sprinkle over the pecans and sugar. Gently roll the dough like a Swiss roll and cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Transfer to a baking tray, upending them and slightly squishing them down to hold them together. Leave to rise until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Glaze the risen rolls with the leftover maple/butter mix and then bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.

Remove from the oven and try and resist eating them until they are at least a little bit cooler!

p.s. I think the only way these might be better is with a smudge of cream cheese icing...

It's out there...

We're off to mainland Europe this week for a mixture of some family celebrations, and some very well deserved RnR after a ridiculous month of having a house of smelling of vinegar and vanilla and filled with hot jars and bottles of varying things
But before we head off, I wanted to give a huge thank you for all your lovely and supportive comments about the business. I really appreciate it, as it's all still a bit overwhelming, and there are various things I am still very much getting to grips with.
But, the product it out there! I can finally share with you some pictures of my preserves on the shelves. It's been rather weird selling things to regular customers, and being able to say "actually, that's my company, I make that." I'm always a mixture of proud and scared! So far it seems to be selling well, long may it last.

On the joy of hand knit socks

On the train into work a few weeks ago I had a lovely knitting bingo* moment, whereby an interested party sitting on the seat next to me asked "what are you knitting" and when I answered "socks" gave a small gasp and with great enthusiasm added "ooh, is knitting them cheaper then?"

I'm afraid I wasn't in control of myself entirely (it was early in the morning, before I'd made it to work and had my second coffee) and gave a large guffaw and in a disbelieving tone said "no!" I felt sorry for the interested commuter as she was clearly baffled by my response and gave a small "oh" and didn't engage with me again. Which is all when and good because I was at a particularly tricky moment in my sock and was rather enjoying the quiet before she sat down.
But, it made me think about the act of knitting socks. I am a very recent sock knitter. I was taught by a lovely friend in February, and when a mutual friend remarked one day "so does this mean you'll become addicted to socks like everyone else who tries them" I laughed and said "no of course not, I just want to prove I can do it." Little was I to know what was to come. I am now in the middle of pair number five, with pair number four also on the needles. I also seem to have inadvertently made some offers to knit pairs for people for birthdays and Christmas. I admit it, I have a problem!
When you look at it objectively from the outside (Like N often does as I frown my way through counting stitches on a chart and swear about missing a ssk on a heel turn) it makes no initial sense at all. Hand knit socks take a lot of time, effort and let's face it, money. When pondering
some yarn for socks for N at a recent jaunt to a knitting show I found myself seriously contemplating spending nearly thirty quid. It was a rush of blood to the head and I didn't, but the temptation was there.
And all for objects that are often hidden beneath trousers or worn through within less than a year of them being finished. So why are they so addictive and wonderful? Well for me there are several reasons. They are pretty. You can make them as long or as short as you like. Because they are not a garment and not close to your face and could be hidden if you wanted to, you can knit them in any colour or combination of colours you like. They are easily carried around when commuting (I have two cardigans floundering because recently my only knitting time has been on the train to work and they are just too darn big to carry). And finally, they are warm! I have long suffered from cold feet. I am, even now, in July, wearing hiking socks in the house because my little toes get cold and rarely get warm. As N has pointed out on many an occasion my feet exist in the Ice Dimension. As a result hand knit socks are a revelation. They truly are warm (unlike so many supposed "thermal" pairs that places sell), and ones that have colourwork and therefore two strands of yarn in them, are even warmer!

So I am knitting like the wind in order to get as many pairs of socks knit, in as many patterns and colours as I can before the winter sets in. This winter, I will have warm feet that will also be pretty feet.
I know you have to knit two, I know they can be expensive and fiddly, but frankly they are rocking my world, and I think they should rock yours too.

Sorry, preaching over...I'm back to knit socks and leave you alone!


*Knitting Bingo is a game invented by a friend and myself whereby if you have encounters with strangers who made particularly cliche comments about your chosen hobby you are obliged to share this with other players via text, email or twitter with the words "Knitting Bingo" and an explanation of the encounter. A good example would be the "oooh, you don't see young people knitting" or "I'd love to knit, but I just don't have time" the latter usually said by someone playing a mindless computer game on their smartphone on the same train journey as said knitter, and clearly implying that aforementioned craftsperson is a lady (or man) of leisure, and not one commuting to one of their three jobs (Sorry, little bitter about those comments!).