Medlars

I love medlars, they look ever so cute...that one measures about 3.5 cm...I found some on the market, two weeks ago...now they are ripe I can make jelly...Here are a few details found on the web if you don't know them...

"Medlar fruits are unusual both in appearance and in their ripening habits. They are very hard and inedible until they start to decay. They will rarely reach this stage by themselves on the tree and need to be harvested as late as possible in November . They should be left in a box in a cool dry place until they turn a dark reddish brown and become soft and juicy. This ripening process is known as "bletting" the medlars. "

Medlar Jelly
- 1lb medlars- ¼ pint water- sugar- juice ½ lemon
Simmer fruit and water until soft. Strain through a jelly bag.Measure juice, allow 1lb sugar to 1pint juice. Stir in sugar and lemon juice. Boil rapidly until set.With such a small quantity you won't waste much if you don't like it.

tomatoes, tomatoes...

I've made so many dried tomatoes, i was a bit fed up, and nobody likes ketchup at home...so just a few jars of tomato sauce with basil in the deep-freezer. Know what I do, when we eat yoghurt I keep the small jars and feel them with sauce, you get enough for pasta or rice...
But last week-end I wanted to try something different. I found a gorgeous and yummy recipe...
TOMATO AND BASIL JELLY

you need:
-1.7kg tomatoes, quartered
-2 large handfuls of basil leaves
-3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
-400ml cider vinegar
-about 700g sugar with pectin
You place the tomatoes, basil, garlic and vinegar in a large saucepan, bring to boil, then cover and cook over a low heat for about 1 hr, stirring half way through.
Strain in a jelly bag during the night, you'll get about 800ml of juice, and cook with with the sugar. It will take about 70 mn to becoma a jelly. Put in jars immediately.
You may have this with many savoury dishes...

nectarines...nectar...hummmmm...

as you're fed up with courgettes !!!I offer you a nice dessert, easy to cook and so yummy...
take six nectarines and peel them...easy to do if you put them in boiling water for one minute...put them in a dish and pour on it 4 glasses of hydromel...if you don't have any you may use sweet white wine but it tastes so much better with hydromel, add 4 table spoons of sugar...bake at 180° in the oven for about an hour...they get all golden, shiny...I forgot ! I add a little ginger minced very thinly...
I served with vanilla ice-cream...Ladies, it's gorgeous !

courgette again!!!

courgettes...courgettes...I rather have tomatoes hubby said...yes, but no more tomatoes...what can I do with all these courgettes, can't eat them all at once...so had an idea...sometimes i can be really clever (hum....)...
why not dry them like tomatoes, not really dry but drier...Ok...don't worry I am allright...
so i cut them in slices (0.5cm) and put them on a dish...next to each other...don't make layers...
I put drops of olive oil, some coarse salt, thyme...and put it in the oven at a very low temperature 90°...for 4 hours...turn the slices after 2 hours...then you put them in jars with some olive oil and keep them in the fridge...yesterday I had some pasta left, and didn't feel like cooking...I opened a jar took a few slices and warm them up in a frying pan, just like that until they get a bit crusty...it'a very nice and so easy...

Magical chair, once more...sure you would love to have one...
So back to courgettes, soup, ratatouille, gratin...and ...of course...jam...
yes jam...My god-mother did it so I do it...
you need :
1kg courgettes
800g sugar
100g sultanas
100g dried apricots
1 vanilla bean
zest of a lime
cut courgettes in thin slices, and apricots in small pieces. In a big bowl put all the ingredients and let them macerate over night...
Then cook gently for about 1hr30, and pour into jars...Close when it's warm...
You may eat it as ordinary jam, but if you add only 600g of sugar you may use it as chutney, delicious with goat cheese...

Zucchini flower fritters, for dreamers...

Ingrédients for 6 persons:
About 40 zucchini flowers
A bunch of parsley
150grs of flour
2 eggs
25cls of cold milk
salt, pepper, tomato sauce for the accompaniment

Recipe
Clean the flowers, store the stalks and pistils. In a pot mix the whole flour, the 2 egg yolks, a bit of salt and a small spoonful of olive oil. Gradually add the milk. Whip the egg white and add it to the preparation with the chopped parsley. Add salt and pepper. Dip the flowers one by one in the paste, then sink them in boiling oil. When gold coloured, put them on a plate on a paper napkin. You can serve zucchini fritters with tomato sauce.
Eat very warm...

What could I say...I'm very happy I tried...I had so many flowers ...I always dreamt of cooking them...Just like eating a dream...Remember their beauty when eating them, the souvenir is more beautiful than the taste...

Magical chair at dawn...

What did I tell you on Saturday ? sure you would love to have such a magical chair...

Courgette fairy...

I told you there were fairies in my small yard...See that one hiding in the heart of a courgette flower ?...She 's watching us with huge eyes, and is blowing a flower bubble, maybe to hide...
Too late !!!we've seen you...

Tagged by Karen

I was tagged by Karen...that's very nice of her...I've been wandering through her blog lately and loved it...

"Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to then report this on their own blog with their 7 random facts as well as these rules. They then need to tag 7 other garden blogs and list their names on their blog. They are also asked to leave a comment for each of the tagged, letting them know they have been tagged and to read the blog." and then you tag 7 persons...
My problem is, who am I going to tag...so I leave it to tomorrow...

A small garden well hidden in Plumpiemousie...
~~*~~*~~

1°-To get to know my small planet, watch the outsides ...We rent a house , not very beautiful but with plenty of space inside and a little yard at the back where we can eat and rest...
I'm not very good at gardening, may be I'm not patient enough, may be the earth over here is so difficult to dig, and may be I'm lazy because of my landlady...(read beneath...)

2°-I have a problem with small animals this year...slugs, snails...they have eaten so many of my herbs...so I have a question for you...
suppose slugs have eaten all the basil, if you cook the slugs, do they taste basil? I would like to find a volunteer to test who could do it?

In front of the house, along the road...