Autumn veg

The new bit of vegetable garden, the bit that was the chook shed is doing remarkably well.  The Practical Reinventor planted some species thoughtfully (potatoes, garlic, broadbeans) then added an array of seeds.  Firstly because a variety of plants produces a variety of scents and that helps to confuse and repel insect predators, and secondly because she likes a riot of species growing together, something like what happens in nature.
In this picture you can see rocket, sunflowers, assorted lettuces, kale, and probably a few others.

For perspective.  We did not plant those tomatoes and pumpkins.  They most likely won't fruit, but you have to admire their spirit!
And that is a pizza oven in the background.  Rescued by an associate from a former pizza oven, and (mostly) installed on the plinth we built something ridiculous like seven years ago.  It cooks magnificently, but takes a good three hours to heat up enough to be effective.  So we don't use it terribly much.

Eponymous

This needs no explanation.

Thanks Ali for the limes and Fi for the grapefruit.  Along with a similar pot of lemonade fruit, there are an extra 20 jars of marmalade on the shelves in the mud room of Marmalade Cottage.

A little tart

Marmalade Cottage doesn't have its own cumquat tree, but lots of friends do. 

The reinventors' favourite way with cumquats is simmered in a sugar syrup until soft, then bottled with a generous slosh of booze.  In this case marsala.  They'll be superb in a couple of months.

Baking delights!

Sourdough bread is one of those holy grails of self-sufficiency - grow your own yeast, rather than having to buy it.  It's notoriously difficult to get a good one.  But!  If you happen to have a friend who has a good one (in this case, passed on from someone met on holiday) who's willing to share, it's a sure thing.

So, here is Marmalade Cottage's first ever sourdough loaf on its first prove.

Second prove.

And baked.

And the proof will be in tomorrow's breakfast...

First ever!

At least, we hope so!

This is passionfruit lemonade marmalade.  Made from lemonade fruit (a hybrid lemon/navel orange) and passionfruit.  It tastes great (although not at all like Passiona).

We might enter it into the marmalade section of the Swan View Show.

Signature cake

The reinventors are usually not into exclusivity, but in this case, we may make an exception.

If you poach some oranges (preferably those grown by D and P) in sugar syrup, line a cake tin in foil and arrange the slices on the bottom.

Then make up a butter cake with lots of vanilla extract and a handful of coconut for texture.
Once it's baked, pour the poaching syrup over the top.  Flip it over.

And you have Marmalade Cottage Marmalade Cake.

Eponymous

 

This is the inaugural batch of Marmalade Cottage Marmalade. It's the practical one's Great-Nana Blanche's fail-proof recipe, the one that really only works in imperial measures, and always sets to a glorious, rich jelly.

This version uses oranges from Rusty Hollow and limes from Moondyne Park.  The very best marmalade is collaborative.

Spring is starting to spring

There's been some really good rain, and some lovely sunshine.
This is what happens:

 

The kaffir lime that looked terminally ill decided it liked being in the ground and rewarded us with lovely, glossy black foliage.

The new mulberry tree that arrived as a couple of bare branches has erupted with leaves and baby fruit.

Meanwhile the broadbeans are nearly 10cm tall and vigourous and the cavalo nero (black Tuscan kale) that was roughly dug up from the last garden, dumped into pots, then replanted, has gotten over its shock and is also vigourously growing.

To add to that, the reinventors have planted garlic, artichoke, parsley, sweet peas and assorted herbs.

We will have a harvest this year.

By request - Marmalade Cottage mulled wine

Essential for any winter party!

You will need:
Two bottles of reasonable red wine
One orange
Half a dozen cloves
A stick of cinnamon
Sugar to taste


Stud the orange with the cloves, and bake it in a 180deg oven for about 20 minutes.

Pour the wine into a saucepan, add the cinnamon, slice the baked orange into fairly small pieces and add to the wine.

Bring to a very gentle simmer for five minutes or so.

Taste and add sugar until it makes you feel warm and cozy.

Share with friends around a fire.

By request - Marmalade Cottage clam chowder

At the creative one's birthday party, the clam chowder was a hit. Which rather surprised the practical one, as she'd never even tasted it before!

This is the recipe, adapted from one found on the internet.

Serves about 8

Ingredients3 medium potatoes cut into 1cm dice
750g clam meat (I could find only frozen meat, but if you get fresh clams, you will need to steam them open in some water or white wine and strain carefully to get rid of any sand or grit.
2 litres fish stock (hot)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
1 brown onion, chopped finely
2-3 sticks of celery, chopped finely
4-6 cloves garlic finely chopped
600ml light cream
salt and pepper to taste 3 bay leaves
As much fresh dill as you like

Method
Gently melt the butter, and sauté the onions, celery and garlic, but don’t let it get more than pale golden. The soup has to be white.

Stir in the flour quickly with a wooden spoon, then add the hot stock a dribble at a time, stirring as you go until it’s all incorporate and nice and smooth.

Add the bay and half the dill, then the potatoes and three-quarters of the clams, simmer until the potatoes are soft.

Take out the bay leaves.

Whizz with a stick blender, then add cream and adjust your seasoning.

Add the rest of the clams and simmer until they’re cooked. Just before serving add the rest of the dill.