A lazy day all round (Saturday)

Reaction to a very busy fortnight at work where I have been absolutely shattered and in bed for 9:00am a lot of the time. (hence the reason for me not popping up many posts this week).  I am not normally in bed before midnight so trying to slot everything in has been a bit of a nightmare to say the least.  This morning I just slept only to be woke up by the Postie hammering on the front door.

He had bought me two preserving books I had ordered.  Both I am pleased with.  Both are very different though and both have some lovely recipes - very different ones and ones I am going to have a go at.  Making preserves is a very individual thing each of us does things very differently.  That is not to say one method is better than another but rootling around the different books gives me a different perspective on things, different approaches and different methods.  I try and incorporate the ones that really work for me and that is what is about really finding your own way round trying to do things.

After I had had a good mosey round the newbies I then went back to reading my book and for the best time i have had my nose well and truly into that and I am really enjoying it.  Its not often that I down tools and do absolutely nothing although in all reality I should not have. 

I then decided that I better go to the veg shop as the were having the first delivery of the Seville Oranges today and I said that I would have them.  I have bought home 5kg and have another 5kg for next week.  Apparently the crop has not been good this year for the Sevilles and they are not sure whether they are going to be able to get much more after next week; but we shall see. In any event I might snaffle a couple of bags from Waitrose as well. I have also come back with pink grapefruit, another four bags of Clementines, root ginger, some lemons, Oranges (mostly citrus this week) - still plenty of veggies left from last week so there was no need to get any today which is no bad thing.

As well as home made marmalade I have plans to make Seville Orange Curd, Lemon Curd, Grapefruit Curd, Ginger Wine, Orange Wine and a couple of the wine kits.  The wine will probably get done next weekend but I am going to start with a batch of curd this evening.  Think it might be the pink grapefruit.

I now have two pieces of brisket to make the salt beef and so I anticipate making the brine for that  during the weekend and then we have to wait for a while for the meat to cure.  This type of preserving is all new territory for me and one which i intend to repeat with different recipes, different cuts things like Braesola, Italian Salami, pastrami etc.  Well that is the plan.

Right catch you later on.

Pattypan


xx