Kohlrabi Slaw, Pork Salami and Home-grown Cucumber Supper - Wednesday, 26th August 2015 - Fresh Gluten-free Eating

I first tasted kohlrabi when weekending with a  girlfriend and her parents in Kent ages ago and we ate steamed kohlrabi and.....well I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it.

We had always eaten good plain food at home with many vegetables but never this particular one and I would suggest my mother had never heard of it, let alone eaten it.  However, if we had, it would probably have been because my father was always keen for us to try something new.

Kohlrabi features in two cookery books I've got at home,  in Summer and Winter by Arabella Boxer and Tessa Traeger, ISBN 0 85533 2166. and in another book by Arabella Boxer - The Sunday Times Complete Cook Book -  ISBN 0 297 783211.

I've served up the vegetable in various over the years always liking its crunch and mild sweet flavour, and its odd-looking bulbous shape with green shoots sticking out, like waving arms.  Its a member of the cabbage family and comes in two colours, pale green and a purple variety, which I've never seen but goes well with the growing awareness of the purple veg. with the flavenoid content and appeal.  My family in Australia have eaten purple potatoes, which actually stay that colour even when cooked, unlike the purple dwarf beans I've grown this summer, which are green inside and turn green when cook.... you have to eat them raw, to eat purple beans!!!

I bought this Kohlrabi at Deddington Farmers' Market last weekend and found an Internet recipe for a slaw with carrot and mixed with mayonnaise, cider vinegar and raisins, and this is what we ate for supper last night, with sliced Pork Salami from Lidl and homegrown cucumber from the dear SO's greenhouse...

Kohlrabi from the Styan Family Produce stall at Deddington Farmers' Market. next to the aubergine

Kohlrabi & carrot slaw with Salami and cucumber from the garden

The recipe made enough for a party so I've frozen half for future eating with other meats and salad items.

Dulano Air Dried Air Salami from Lidl....

It was very quick and easy to make thank goodness as I had to get on with chutney making - marrow, plum and ginger - from the tonnage of marrow He bought home last weekend, well, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss!

I'd bought a small one from Deddington so we have plenty of marrow, hohoho...!

the small marrow will be perfect for supper...for stuffed marrow, steamed marrow, baked marrow and so on.  Well it is the season for marrow, hey?

Happy veggie eating...

Daisy xxx

Herb Butters and Ratatouille Summertime Harvest - Thursday, 20th August 2015 - Filling up the freezer !!!

Summer’s here and I’ve been harvesting herbs from the garden; parsley, coriander, basil, sage and fennel and now I have several fat rolls of herbed butter in the freezer all ready for slicing up.

We’ll use the butter for whizzing into hot mashed potato, on toast, to garnish and enrich soups, add as a garnish to pork and lamb chops, on your favourite steak dish and so on….

Then you can use your butter on hot scones or in your scone mixture, to add to your sauté pan with olive oil to cook an omelette or mushrooms or anything else you fancy, come to that!

One of my favourite books has been an inspiration – Eatability – by Jocasta Innes with Bronwen Cunningham – ISBN 0 – 356-14720-7 – which I’ve had for years but, of course, you’ll find recipes enough on the internet very easily.  Like…

Lavender butter, or lavender butter with other herbs, with honey – plus many ingenious uses for them.  I have to admit not having ever made lavender butter but I have popped a sprig of lavender under a cake mixture before making and the cooked flavour has been delicate and rather nice, especially if you then make lavender flavoured butter cream, having previously stored a few sprigs of the plant in your box of icing sugar, or by using lavender butter in the mixture.  I imagine you could also add lavender flavoured honey to the butter and icing sugar, plus a few chopped leaves to add colour and interest.

I decided to make use of a few leaves of sage too but, wary of its very strong flavour, mixed in half a red onion and two cloves of garlic with the herb and one packet of salted butter; I usually had two to three handfuls of herb  plus a few twists of freshly milled black pepper.  Him indoors would insist on white pepper but I can’t stand it so never use it.   The finished butter had a very nice red colour and I’m looking forward to using it…

Here it is in the mixing stage….I machine chop my herb and any additions then mix everything together by hand not by blender or food processor, because this way I don’t end up wasting any!

Putting my rolls of butter into the freezer I came upon the last three shapes of butter from last summer, which was most surprising since I thought all of this had gone earlier in the summer when, low on olive oil, I’d gone to my freezer for the last of last year’s butter for a sauté dish of something or other being cooked for supper.  So all was well for supper and it’s perfectly OK to keep any herbed butter in the freezer for up to a year before using....

So, after clearing up the kitchen I chopped up the ingredients for a ratatouille, warmed my slow cooker, sautéed the aubergine, peppers, onions, tomatoes, herbs, and seasoning for about ten minutes before tipping everything into the slow-cooker and leaving the mixture to cook overnight and well into the afternoon before tasting.  It was OK if needing a little tomato puree and salt and just another hour to finish cooking the runner beans which I’d added as an afterthought, having picked a good handful the day before and needing to use them.

ingredients ready ...and I'd skinned my aubergines ...I won't next time!!!

ten minutes saute time.....

and here's one I cooked and  enjoyed earlier!!!

I shall make more ratatouille and perhaps even lavender butter in the next few days, a pot or two of tomato sauce and who knows what else!  I mean you just have to, don't you, with your garden bursting with harvestable goodies and farmers' markets bringing together a wide variety of vegetables and fruit, herbs, glorious oils, cheeses, fish and meat.

I do hope my freezer has enough space for everything!

Daisy xxx

Adderbury History Association Open Day - Saturday, 18th July 2015 - at The Institute

The weekend had arrived at long last, it was Saturday and, after completing a few online chores and icing two cakes for the day, I dashed off to Adderbury to join in with the anticipated fun of their Open Day for Adderbury's History Association.

A bright warm sun shone down as I drove off to Adderbury, my adopted Village, in which I had the pleasure of living for three short years.  I am now involved with my chosen home base via membership of Adderbury & District WI, extended family members, St. Mary's Parish Church and various village activities.

The Adderbury History Association is a gathering of friendly individuals interested by the history of their local village and sharing that collected fascination with others through a programme of talks, publications and events during the year.  There's a Christmas party and a summer outing too.

Today is their Open Day event, offering for inspection some of their archival material, books on local and family history, a family orientated village history trail and two guided walks; one telling the story of Adderbury's industrial past and the second walk highlighting Adderbury's historic ice-house encountered during the Lakes walk with the retelling of the history of  ducal and prominent, influential families.

I took the Lakes walk, delighting in the history of that ducal family, photographing an ancient brick and stone wall, made from local own-industry-made bricks, featuring an opening topped by a Tudor archway, complete with Tudor Rose and visiting, over the wooden gate, Adderbury's own allotments, once the gardens of the ducal family who held sway a long time ago.

History comes alive when presented and retold by an interested/fascinated observer and our guide was such an exemplar to whom we listened, questioned and related to, in our endeavour to acquire for ourselves an appreciation of Adderbury's past life and living.

We arrived back to The Institute for coffee and delicious homemade cake, to share our own stories, view the presented material and books and to discuss and plan attendance at future evening meetings of Adderbury's History Association; and looking forward to their Christmas Party in December.

Here's a few photos of my Adderbury History Association Open Day with many thanks to the organisation for a brilliant event...

the ancient brick wall with just a tiny portion of the Tudor archway..

that brick wall again for all brick nutters everywhere - including my dear SO...who often waxes lyrical about bricks

Verbascum plants up against the wall, commonly called Mullein or velvet plant, it has a long history of use as a herbal remedy, used by indigenous American natives and by Austrian medical bodies...

this is the ducal stable Ashlar wall - Ashlar masonry is highly worked stone and its quite amazing to to see it here used for stabling purposes...

the present allotments where the gardens once held pride of place...

Adderbry's own historic, well-preserved ice-house

Daisy xxx

Adderbury Community Food Market for July - Thursday 9th July 2015

It’s Market day at Adderbury again and we’re off to buy some comestibles for the home store.  Next month we’ll be at The Pig Place, Adderbury for The Mikron Theatre’s production of “Raising Spirits” which should be very interesting, telling as it does the story of a WI group destined to be changed out of all recognition by a new President’s enthusiastic activity, particularly fascinating in this year's WI Centenary year - 1915 - 2015.  I am WI and really looking forward to viewing this performance.

And tonight’s Market Community Stall is the WI stall,  offering visitors the option to choose their favourite photos for our 2016 Adderbury Calendar.

It’s a breath-takingly beautiful summer’s evening.  We’re under a deep blue sky, the lavender bushes are in full sweet-scented bloom and we’re early for once.

 He engages with Paddy at his Buzzy Beans Coffee machine while I am chatting with friends, eyeing -up Mr. Anson’s vegetable and fruit stall.  It’s bright with flowers, strawberries, gooseberries, vine tomatoes, cucumbers and a good range of deep green veg. new potatoes and beetroot. 

 I fill up my bag with a fine selection and go on to chat to Jo Thompson of Once Bitten where I choose her Organic Granola for eating with my rhubarb puree or sliced bananas; find her at - enquiries@oncebittenltd.co.uk

After lingering over her delightful display of toothsome goodies I speak to Richard Cox presiding over his pates and terrines, smoked garlic, chutneys, scotch eggs and sausage rolls. He presents original and innovative scotch eggs, like a black pudding mixture and I choose a still-warm haddock, potato and soft egg version which I surmise will not last ‘til tomorrow once we get home…..! find Richard at - winslowpatesandterrines@gmail.com  

His scotch eggs are in the basket....

Onwards to Homemade in Oxfordshire for I should like a pot of apricot or raspberry jam but come away with their Hot Peach and Chilli Chutney, which is so very good.  It’s going to be great with cold meat sandwiches, our savoury egg or a Cauliflower Polonaise, which I’ll make with the cauli. just purchased from Mrs. Anson.  I might even add some of her new potatoes, served warm with parsley butter and….ooh the possibilities are endless!!! 

Find Maggie Sorensen for her jams and chutneys at -  thejamlady045@gmail.com

Eventually He turns our cauliflower into an excellent Polonaise which we enjoy with parslied potatoes and hot peas with chives...which reminds me I'm not using my garden produce to fill my freezer with summer goodies for the Fall and beyond;. no parsley butter, mint ice-cubes or chives into something neat to use in the long winter months.  I mean, what's the point of having a large fridge/freezer if it ain't full of good things to eat!

Guest market stall tonight is Fino Olive Oil and while happily dipping croutons of fresh bread into Susie's enticing oils, the dear SO comes to drag me away for supper; find Susie at -
www.finooliveoil.co.uk

see you in August Susie...

Smart Cookies are providing an Italian style Chicken Ciabatta supper with a tomato and basil salad and hot new potatoes; even on a balmy summer’s evening, hot potatoes are great with salad!  Of course, there’s a veggie option to eat in or take away and “all profits go to Jomps’ Farm at Sarnelli Orphanage in North Thailand for children with AIDS/HIV – part of the Thai Children’s Trust.

 

We dine al fresco at a large table and soon are chatting happily to a party of friends and visitors which is just so very pleasant.  I slip away into the market to buy honey from Helen Raine of Adderbury Honey for a dear friend.  I examine Helen's glass bee hive whilst munching a piece of honeycomb; OMG I just love  honeycomb and have very fond memories of a holiday years ago in
Cornwall when I was given a fresh one each morning for breakfast...

Helen Raine's Adderbury Honey at - rainehelen@hotmail.com

Helen's busy bees... for bee inspiration...


We chatted to Chris of Cats Brewing Co. - info@:catsbrewingco.com -

to  Chummy of Moore & Lyon for home reared meat at - chummy567@yahoo.co.uk -

oops - I seem to have lost my photo - apologies to Chummy -

to Ellie and Mark of Ellie's Kitchen....

for Ellie's delicious Greek food - from ellistsgo@gmail.com

and to Taste Buds Cheeseboard for their really excellent cheese

and find them at - tastebudscatering.com/recipes/cheese-board/.


It was only much later that same evening I discovered I had forgotten to return to collect
my purchase of Jo Thompson's Organic Granola which I'd left with her because we neither had sufficient
change on hand.  Apologies Jo and catch up with you in August for that granola crunch.




Another great Market experience, supper and a lovely evening in Adderbury with friends!  See you next month guys.


Daisy xxx

Computer-wise up & running agin - Wednesday 3rd June 2015

well I've bought a new machine and i'm getting going wiith Windows 8!!!

we've found YouTube help to acquire a Start Button from Classic Shell software and now its all systems  go again.

Mind you, its taken since my last post to get to this stage!!!

That auction at JS Auctions - the Armorial raised £8.000 but a collection of old Tsarist medals fetched £63.000

How about that, hey!!!
Lots going on this weekend -  Fetes , Open Garden days and our Adderbury WI  has a developing Grow Wild Seed Kit garden at Katharine House Hospice which we are demonstrating at KHH OPEN GARDEN DAY on Sunday 7th June from 2 - 5pm

Team WI will be on hand to tell visitors about our garden...

Photos to follow and a great deal more to talk about  ....!!!
Daisy xxx

Post-computer breakdown - Saturday 23rd May 2015

Thank goodness for my iPad!

My computer broke down last night.  He fixed it seemingly, I used it for a while then it went blank again.

I have one more opportunity to get going again tomorrow morning and if that doesn't work I shall have to get going again with another computer also tomorrow.

Wish me good luck!

Bye for now

Daisy xxx?

Food post-Adderbury Community Food Market - Thursday 14th May 2015 - Saturday 23rd May 2015

So hard to come by with no in-house presentation so to speak off with all those splendid internal bits and pieces no longer sold with the chicken you're roasting for that mid-week feast!  No giblet gravy, nothing for stock and definitely no liver for a little pot of homemade chicken, pate for lunch on hot toast! Of course you would need livers from a few chickens to make pate and of course I have bought tubs of such before, just not for a long time, which it was why I was so pleased to find that item at Adderbury's Community Market last week from Moore & Lyon Produce at Contact -  chummy567@yahoo.co.uk.

It's been quite delicious eating hot toast with chicken liver pate for lunch this week. I shall be hoping for more of them at next month's market which is I believe is on Thursday, 11th June 6 - 8.15pm

And here is my very quick chicken liver pate with  red onion on freshly toasted homemade organic flour bread...

  

my very rustic looking pate - delicious!



I bought freshly picked rhubarb from Mr. Anson's Veg stall which I cooked to a nice soft collapse with very little water and no sugar, for eating with my seed muesli...

From Ellie's Kitchen for her tempting Greek food, Dolmades and Tzatsiki which I ate with hot buttered toast...  Ellie's Kitchen contact at  ellistago@gmail.com

Lovely simple food for my week of non - to low gluten food week.  The bread is made by Him Indoors from organic flour by Dove Farm which is excellent for me, its organic status gives no nasty side-effects such as bloating, nausea or worse!  I've been eating his organic bread solidly now since January and Ive been blessedly free of problems.  

Well, the only problem - there has to be one, hey, is that bread makes you weigh in more heavily, you know what I mean which means I really must now reduce my weekly consumption of bread. I don't want to grow any more!!!

I'm writing this most anxiously, for my computer died on me last night and its only because Him Indoors looked on You Tube for a solution to my solid black screen, then fixed my problem, that I'm now here writing to you...  I shall buy Him a cup of coffee later on!

OK must dash - I'm making organic WI recipe Victoria Sandwiches for my church at Kidlington's summer Sunday afternoon teas and I must put in a little practising; He's watching the practise sessions/qualifying sessions for the GP in Monaco so the house is very quiet and concentrated, which is just as well after the drama of the non-cooperative computer mare!!!

Daisy

Deddington Farmers' Market - Saturday, 25th April 2015

more interesting stalls to view inside the Church

Style Woodturning by Keith Bond at - keiffbond@metronet.co.uk

Deddington Scouts and their dragon - "there be dragons"

Craft stalls inside the Church

Every Last Crumb for all things delicious at - EveryLastCrumb14@gmail.com

the Kitchen-team just inside Deddington's St. Peter and St. Paul Church with hot drinks and lovely cakes to enjoy...

The Meat Joint at - www.- mail@themeatjoint.co.uk - love their faggots

Mediterranean food feast from Feast at - info@feast.uk.net - their curried mango and chickpea salad was great

Some of my market buys from Deddington Farmers' Market

and a few details of future events - with my tomato plants in the background

We enjoyed our morning visit to Deddington for their Farmers' Market chatting to friends, nibbling as we went about and buying a few foods to take home with us.  Thanks Deddington for a good morning's visit to your brilliant Farmers' Market.

Margaret

Easter 2015 for Organic Hot Cross Buns and Bread - Bank Holiday Monday, 6th April 2015

Following my smashing holiday in Australia with my lovely family, who introduced me to the wonderful delights of eating organic bread, we are now very definitely an Organic Household for all bread and baked items.  See below for our Easter homemade organic hot cross buns ....

even toasted and spread with butter...

organic flour, bread, hot cross buns and chocolate eggs (not organic unfortunately) but earlier ones were!!!

This is a glorious change from gluten-free to organic for me and, while I fully understand many people may not be able to follow my lead and change to organic flour for their breads etc., I would urge them to try the organic alternative for they like me, may also only have a minor irritation to gluten, with the exciting possibility of changing over to an organic approach to food and eating.

And there are organic bakers out there from whom you buy your organic bread for the trial eating period, and far beyond, if bread making is just not your "thing" - for instance, The Grumpy Bakers of Adderbury Community Food Market at - market.adderbury.org/grumpy-bakers   

last seen at Adderbury on Thursday, 12th March

Find them at Adderbury's thriving and local Community Food Market on Thursday, 9th April from 6.00 to 8.15 pm at The Institute, Adderbury, for bread and many other delicious food stalls, plus supper from Smart Cookies to eat in or take home with you after you've
 stocked up with more fresh goodies for your store cupboard.


For fresh organic vegetables, why not visit Deddington Farmers' Market on the fourth Saturday  of each month - next date - Saturday, 25th April, -  visit North Aston Organics who also provide a home delivery veg box scheme.  For contact - northastonorganics@gmail.com / Telephone No. 01869 347702

We use our "Delta Breadmaker" Model BM900 AKA XBM1129 to make our bread and prepare our hot cross bun dough but they are just as easy to make by hand and dough will always fit into your own busy schedule, rising beautifully to suit your needs.  And bread making is such fun too, it really is x

Happy organic eating !!!



Daisy xxx