Saturday 23 November 2013

Saturday Snippets (11)



As autumn is now well and truly with us, I thought I'd post a couple of my favourite recipes.  Not sure what to suggest if you live in the sub tropics, (or tropics for that matter) but maybe you could use substitutes?

Rose Hip Syrup

This is a rich source of vitamin C, and is much cheaper to make than to buy.  It is best stored in small bottles.

I have such fond memories of my children making patterns on ground rice pudding of happy faces.  Now I am introducing it to my older grandson, and the little one will get the occasional spoonful when he is old enough as well!

This is what you do:

Take two and a half pounds of ripe red rose hips, wash and remove the calyces.  Put through a mincer (I use a food processor), and then pour on 3 pints boiling water. Put in a pan and bring up to the boil.

Draw aside and stand for 15 minutes. Strain through a jelly-bag or muslin.  

Measure juice and, if more than one and a half pints, boil down in a jam pan until the juice measures that amount. Add one and a quarter pounds of sugar, allow to dissolve, then boil hard for 5 minutes.  Bottle and sterilise.  (I usually put a sterilising tablet in my bottles overnight before I use them, or you could warm them in the oven like jam jars).

It keeps all winter and is sooooo delicious!  Dan adores it!



Sloe Gin

Ladies, if you drink too much of this, and there are consequences - don't come running to me!  

Very easy to make - here's how:

Take half a pound of ripe sloes and roll them in a damp cloth to clean them.  Then prick them all over with a needle.  (I get bored with this and so I tend to use a fork, but you only want one or two holes piercing in each sloe!) 

Now you need a bottle of gin (only use cheap gin for this!) and a little over a quarter a pound of granulated (the type you put in your tea) sugar.  Put sloes, gin and sugar in a large jar with a screw top, or a large bottle.  (I make a large amount of this each autumn and I put it in a very large jug then decant it into old gin bottles I have saved during the year.)

Screw the lid on tightly and then every day or two remember to give it a good shake.  Over the weeks you will see it darken to a deep ruby red like Port.

At the end of three months - longer if possible! - strain off the liquid and pour it into clean bottles.

This is best made and kept for a whole year to mature.  So if you make some this year, try to keep some of it to drink next winter.  Once you are making it every year, you will always have plenty.  The longer you keep it (we have some five years old) the better it gets!

A friend sent me this a little while ago, and I have been meaning to post it.  Seems to me that it is very true!  Even though I am on HRT my hormones sometimes go up and down which in turn make my moods go up and down like a whore's drawers!  Can't understand why.  We women are complex creatures! I tried to come off them once, and in the end I was reduced to crawling into the Doc's practically on my hands and knees and threatening him with all sorts of Armageddon unless he renewed my prescription!  



Another friend sent me this gem of a picture.  Don't know where she got it from.



I've done some funny things, but I've never pressure-washed a cow!

Dan is at a soccer match this afternoon, so the house is very peaceful.  I've planted up all my terracotta pots with winter pansies and violas, and I'm feeling very virtuous. I've filled up all the bird feeders, and collected a load of kindling, re-hemmed some new jeans that were a couple of inches too long, written out a load of Christmas cards, and now I am planning on making a load of 'Tiny Cheese, Onion and Olive Scones' to put in the freezer to serve when we entertain during the Christmas period.  The sky outside has turned black and it is going to rain cats and dogs in a minute.  I think I'll make a large latte!



All Dan has to do this coming week (cough!) is to sort out our log pile and get the logs undercover before we start to get snow.  We are lucky because so far the weather hasn't been too bad apart from the gales which keep blowing in from the Atlantic, and as we are on the other side we don't suffer so much.  We do enjoy our crackling log fires in the evenings though. I'm telling you, I'm a reincarnated 'frontier wife'!



I can't remember where I got this from.  I tried to make it bigger but I've already got it on extra-large. I hope you can just about read it.  I thought it was a good note to finish on, and no apologies if I am reproducing something someone else around here posted, because it really puts things into perspective.

See you later alligators!




27 comments:

  1. Oh my you're recipes always get me going :) that Gun sounds wonderful but here comes the " what the heck is a Sloe???" Sorry never heard of it, or does it go by other names ??

    Funny I was just stood in my kitchen sorting through my baking ingredients and decided to take a break and read and here you are giving tips :))
    Oh do share your scone recipe :) please it sounds lush :)

    Hugs x

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    1. A sloe is a dark blue/black marble-sized fruit that grows on a quick thorn bush. I suppose you could call it a wild plum, but it is much smaller and very sour, verging on bitter in taste. But if you use it to make sloe gin, it is fabulous! You should have them where you live if you have some wild hedgerows somewhere.

      I'll post my scone recipe next week - it'll come in handy for Christmas catering. Very easy! If you have the Delia Smith Christmas Book, it is in there!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  2. I do think you must have been a frontier wife. You are the Martha Stewart of our group for sure. Love it and you.

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    1. I had to ask Willie who Martha Stewart was! Luckily she is the fount of all knowledge! Yuck, yuck, yuck!

      Put it this way, in a "Survivors" type scenario, I would be good to have around. I can ride horses, shoot a gun, string and loose an arrow from a bow, cook under just about all conditions, sew, and I have a good knowledge of herbs for ailments. Hopeless at any type of mathematics though! So what does that say for me!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  3. unfortunately i'm in the tropics. but wine sounds really good :)

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    1. I am trying to thing what I could make if in the tropics, Fondles. Perhaps something with mango, coconut or papaya? I'll bet you could make a jolly good liqueur with mango and gin! Or vodka and gin!

      There you are. Away you go!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  4. I love Sloe Gin Fizzes and never thought of making it myself. I always buy it at the liquor store. Thanks for the recipe! You are an industrious frontier wife!

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    1. See, we don't call them fizzes because they don't fizz. They are quite sweet liqueur and very strong. But if you can get them, have a go. Only it does improve with the keeping! But don't waste your money on expensive gin! You can use Damsons instead of sloes if you like. I almost prefer damson gin! And yes, I probably was a frontier wife in one of my previous lives!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  5. My kids pick rose hips and make jam with their grandmother. It's one of their favorite things.

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    1. That is brilliant! (That does mean, however, that I am the same age as their grandmother!) Sigh!

      If you can get rosehips - try to find some sloes, and if not, some damsons. The gin is terrific!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  6. Hello Miss Mardy! Isn't sloe gin what you used to inebriate poor Kat? I'm rather unsettled you know how to make it. :D

    I'm trying to think what UK syrup might be here. I think of chocolate syrup or something to pour over ice cream. Is that what you mean?

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    1. Hahahahaha! You'll have everyone wondering what "mardy" means now! And of course, dear Ana, I know how to make it. That's what "Amis" do! As well as get in trouble and get their friends in trouble, that is! So beware as I'll lead you astray! In the nicest possible way of course!

      Just a simple syrup made by boiling up sugar (the sort you put in your tea) with water. The more sugar and the longer you boil, the thicker it becomes. But be careful because you don't want candy floss! LOL!

      Rosehip Syrup poured over icecream is the best thing ever!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  7. Ami, cannot do gin since one night a long, long time ago I got commode huggin drunk on the stuff! I was ready for someone to come and put me out of my misery. The other looks interesting though.

    Love the hormone guide! I might just have to print that for the wall to remind me!

    Hugs,
    George

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    1. You know, George, I remember one memorable occasion lying with my arms hugging the base of an apple tree telling everyone to go away and let me die in peace! I try very hard not to drink much these days! Even a small amount seems to go to my head!

      (What is a commode? Do you mean a toilet? Commodes are what they use in hospitals, and for old people and look like a chair with a potty in the seat!)

      Hormone guide is good! You can't go far wrong with it! LOL!

      Hugs
      Ami

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    2. Yes indeed I mean a toilet. I can empathize with your tree hugging story because I was hugging that toilet most of the night wishing someone would come along and just shoot me and put me out of my misery! Oh the travails of youth!

      Hugs,
      George

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  8. Hey Ami...You are one busy lady...make me feel like a slug! I agree with Sunny...you are definitely the Martha Stewart of our group. :D Yes, I can read the 7 wonders...it has been around the internet for a while and I always enjoy reading it again.

    Hope you and Dan are getting better.

    Hugs and Blessings...
    Cat

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    1. Whatever you are, it isn't a slug, Cat! Working the hours you do would've finished me off years ago!

      I'm liking this Martha Stewart woman!

      Dan and I are much better today. Think things are finally a little less sore..... (LOL!)

      Hugs
      Ami

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  9. Hi Ami, My mum used to dip my dummy in rose hip syrup when I was a baby. No wonder In was a chubby girl! My husband want to make sloe gin but we can't get hold of sloes anywhere. I hope all is well in the starsong household, seem like you are planning a lovely cosy winter,
    love Jan.xx

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    1. I think that used to happen a lot, which is why they took if off the shelves as it used to rot babies' teeth. Do you remember Delrosa? I was brought up on it!

      You can't get any sloes!!! Get your butt over here! We must get to them before they go over! There are hundreds this year!

      I hate being cold, and if you live in places like old medieval farmhouses and barns, it is a penalty you have to pay! No wonder I get stiff joints!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  10. Hi Ami, I also enjoy your Saturday snippets :) Sounds lie you are getting prepared for a nice cozy winter. Here of course, it's starting to warm up nicely in preparation for summer :) I'm with Missy ... what are sloe's?

    Love the hormone guide. I have seen it around but still get a kick out of it. Actually, I think I prefer the "safest" column, although I won't turn down a glass of wine of course LoL

    The 7 wonders is awesome! Haven't seen this before.

    Hugs,
    Roz

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    1. Maybe they don't have sloes in NZ? See description above I wrote to Missy. Small, marble-shaped fruits found on blackthorn (quickthorn) bushes. Very sour. But make wonderful gin-based liqueur.

      Glad you liked my snippets. Hopefully more next week.

      Hugs
      Ami

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  11. Hi Ami! What are sloes and do we have them in North America?

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    1. Golly Susie, how are you? Haven't heard from you in ages! Though Willie had hi-jacked you! LOL!

      See above descriptions of sloes. I think you have them where you are - I think I remember Willie saying you did. If not, you can use Damsons instead, but you might need to wait till next year. They are usually around the same time as blackberries and rosehips. I tried blackberry gin, but it didn't taste the same.

      Hugs
      Ami

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    2. I know, I know...I owe you a big email too! Thank you for being so patient with me. :)!

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  12. Love the seven wonders poster :-) thanks for sharing! Hugs

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    1. I think your recipes are probably healthier than mine!

      Hugs
      Ami

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    2. perhaps...but yours are probably tastier...:-) that being said the next couple of days I am baking - and the recipes are anything but healthy - think lots of butter and sugar :-)

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