Bring it in and Bring it on…

I enjoyed an hour or so at the allotment this afternoon and was reminded of my initial aims for the plot, ‘Fruit Trees and Honey Bees’. We grow salads and delicate crops in the kitchen garden at home, but things that don’t need daily care, like potatoes, climbing beans and squashes can grow slow and steady down by the riverside. This year we’ve got two hives with honey crops at the allotment and today I was picking apples and sloes for preserving and seeing what else will be ready soon…

I can’t believe the quince tree

The intial tall straight branches are now bending with the weight of the huge fruit. Fortunately, quince is a later harvest, around October, so I’ve got time to plan how to utilise it all. As a firm, sharp flavoured fruit, it needs to be cooked with sugar, but when gently poached the aromatic fragrance wafts through the house and the fruit transforms to become similar to tinned peaches. I’m also thinking of quince jelly, quince liqueur (follow the recipe below) and the Spanish speciality Membrillo.

I wouldn’t usually grow tomatoes at the allotment

But I had just too many plants at home (thanks to the Aldi middle aisle mini greenhouse that I bought in the spring). These were planted and left to their own devices – no watering, no support canes, no pinching out – and I love them!

Super in salads, gorgeous when grilled – a top tip is to grind a little pink Himalayan salt over them to bring out their full flavours.

There’s a story behind this pair of pears

When I first took over tenancy of the plot in 2020, there were brambles 8ft high and it was only on clearing the ground that we found two pear trees, of different varieties, leaning away from the bramble clutches almost horizontal to try and catch a glimpse of daylight. We propped them upright and now a few years later with roots finding water and shoots finding sun, we’ve got a decent harvest that are destined to be either jarred in a spiced syrup to be enjoyed with ice cream or pickled to serve with cheese and cold meats.

On my way back home, I couldn’t resist picking a couple of small tubs of sloes which will be transformed into a festive Sloe Gin following this recipe below…

Fruit Liqueurs 

Making fruit liqueurs can become a fabulous annual event: grab some friends, forage for fruit and start planning your Christmas presents. 

This is a very flexible recipe that guarantees a special treat as an aperitif, cocktail ingredient or after dinner drink.

Ingredients

Makes approx. 70cl

250g autumnal fruit (damsons, plums, sloes, raspberries, blackberries, etc.)

125g granulated sugar

375ml spirit (gin, vodka, whisky, rum, brandy)

Method

1. Pick over the fruit, removing stems, leaves or damaged fruit. 
2. Place in a suitable bag/container and freeze overnight to soften the skins – this helps release the fruit juices.
3. Tip the frozen fruit into a large glass or plastic jar/container with a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit and top up with the spirit of your choice.
4. Seal well and leave at room temperature for a couple of months, giving the jar a gentle twist each day to ensure even infusion.
5. Decant the finished liqueur into pretty bottles and save the drunken fruit for a special dessert or grown up cake.

Recipe from Living the Good Life in the City by Sara Ward, Pimpernel Press

Coming up at Hen Corner:

September

Introduction to Pickles & Preserves Tuesday 2nd

Urban Hens – Keeping Chickens in London Wednesday 3rd

Making Cheddar, Stilton & Sourdough Tuesday 16th & Wednesday 17th (Two Day Course)

Introduction to Making Cheese Wednesday 24th 

October

Making New Cheeses Wednesday 1st 

Family Feathers & Fun Saturday 4th

Introduction to Making Bread Tuesday 7th

Introduction to Scandinavian Baking Tuesday 14th

Pasta Together (Families) – Tuesday 28th

Other news:

• Thanks to our little greenhouse to start them off, the aubergines are coming slender and fast, three or four to a plant, nice and long, a beautiful purple…
• We’ve nearly harvested all of this year’s honey and, once again, Bees for Children has been one of our most popular courses. This year we’ve had 153 guests pull on bee suits and gloves to head to our hives. Next year we are planning even more sessions, the first few dates are open for bookings here
• Butternut, our Buff Orpington, is a little poorly so she’s currently living indoor with us. I thought Hen Corner meant that the chickens were in the corner of the garden, not the corner of a room in our house!

Jobs for the week:

• Load up the car for a wonderful weekend at the Gardeners’ World Fair – Autumn on Friday 29th – Sunday 31st Aug
• Chop and boil apples in preparation for making jelly on Introduction to Pickles & Preserves on Tuesday 2nd Sep
• Deep clean the chicken coops and tidy the garden for some special filming (Shhh!)

There’s always something happening – It’s called Living the Good Life!

I hope to see you soon,

Sara