Apples and pears

October 30, 2021October 31, 2021 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Old_Lord_Derby_cooking_apple_tree_late_October — Aged cooking apple tree. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello there. So here we are at the end of another month. I hope you have had a good couple of weeks since my last post. I had been intending to show you round my garden at this point in time, but to be honest, there is not a lot to see. Most things are looking rather soggy and bedraggled after recent heavy rain . It feels like Autumn has been cut short this year by the rain washing the leaves from the trees.

No matter, I have some cheery images of my apple and pear harvests earlier in the month. I was able to capture the images under mostly blue skies which should make for better viewing. I hope you enjoy them 🙂

Large_basket_of_Lord_Derby_cooking_apples — Lord Derby cooking apple harvest 2021. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

The old apple tree in the garden produced a fraction of the apples it provided last year. In 2020, I had at least 4 times the amount. However, I still have a good basketful and have started cooking them down. I think they will last a few weeks yet.

2_miniature_apple_trees_with_fruit — Miniature eating apple trees. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Freshly_picked_eating_apples_in_a_wooden_box — Harvested eating apples. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

It’s been a bumper year for eating apples. Only a handful from one tree last year and nothing from the other, but this year I have been rewarded with a huge crop by comparison. The very red apples are called Katy but sadly I can’t remember the other variety now, however both varieties are sweet, juicy and very delicious, and they keep well.

Small_Concorde_pear_tree_with_fruit — Concorde pear tree and fruit. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Comice_pear_tree_October_2021_with_fruit — Espaliered Comice pear tree. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

And so to the pears trees. They have also had a good year, providing a generous basketful after a very poor crop last year. Both trees are still small although they have been planted in the garden for about a decade now. The pears store well so there will be fruit to enjoy for a while yet.

Rectangular_basket_of_homegrown_Concorde_and_Comice_pears — Homegrown Concorde and Comice pears. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I have posted many apple and pear recipes over the years, but these are my top 3 which you might like to try – just click on the links for the recipes:

Toffee upside down cake – Toffee apple upside-down cake (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

Overhead_image_of_toffee_apple_upside_down_cake — Apples, cake and toffee sauce. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

2. Apple and tomato tart tatin – Apple and tomato tart tatin (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

Overhead_image_of_apple_and_tomato_tart_tatin — A fruit tart as pretty as a picture. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Pear, pecan and maple crostata – Pear, pecan and maple crostata (dairy-free and vegan)

Pear_and_pecan_crostata_with_maple_syrup — Pear, pecan and maple crostata. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I hope you are enjoying Autumn/The Fall wherever you are and I look forward to sharing some more recipes and images with you in my next post. My best wishes to you until then.

Homegrown aubergine (eggplant)

October 12, 2016March 12, 2018 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Fresh_aubergine_(eggplant)_fruit — Freshly picked aubergines (eggplant). Image by Kathryn Hawkins

I have been working away from home for a few days so that means no cooking or enjoying homegrown goodies from the garden. Whilst I was happy not to cook for a while, I did miss my garden. No matter, what a fabulous treat awaited me when I got back: 3 ripe aubergine.

I only planted one wee seedling back in June, so these 3 fruits are a somewhat mammouth production for one plant. And, even better, there are a couple more fruits to come.

Growing aubergine (eggplant) fruit — Homegrown aubergine (eggplant) fruit.

The plant itself is a beauty with glossy black stems and bright green, soft, downy leaves. The delightful purple flowers of “scrunched up tissue paper” petals, appeared back in August, followed by the first tiny, fairy-sized fruit a couple of weeks later. The plant has thrived unprotected in my unheated greenhouse all summer.

Fruit_forming_in_aubergine_(eggplant)_flower — Aubergine (eggplant) flower. Image by Kathryn Hawkins

Aubergine is one of my favourite vegetables. I love the melting texture of the flesh once it is cooked, and the mild, nutty flavour. I don’t do anything special, no pre-salting or soaking, just trim, slice and griddle. Most usually I chop them up with onions, peppers and courgettes, scatter them with oil, fresh herbs and salt and pepper, and then roast them to serve hot as an accompaniment to serve with meat or fish, or leave them to cool and serve cold with fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Mmmm……

Assortment_of_ vegetables_and_herbs_freshly_roasted — Tray baked vegetables. Image by Kathryn Hawkins

October flowerings

October 3, 2016August 9, 2017 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Flowerbed_with_fruit_bushes_and_flowers — October foliage and flowers. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

It has been a mild and reasonably bright few weeks since my last garden posting. I am pleasantly surprised that so much is still in bloom in the garden. In fact, there are very few signs of Autumn here at all, and the garden hasn’t changed that dramatically from last month, the colours are just a little faded and more muted. The large trees are barely turning, so I had to look to smaller bushes and shrubs for some typical October colour. The blueberry bushes have finished fruiting now and are the only real hint of the season, having turned from bright green to deep red-orange colour.

More Autumn crocus have found their way to the surface this week, and make a pretty splash of colour on the increasingly barren soil as the other foliage dies back.

3_Autumn_crocus — Autumn flowering crocus. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

It was also good to see that we still have plenty of bees around the garden. Yesterday, they were buzzing round the Hebe and dahlias as I took my photos, still busy gathering pollen from the flowers and shrubs.

Purple_Hebe_ with honey_bee — Hebe bee-bee. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

2_varieties_dahlia:_white_and_burgundy — White petal dahlia with busy bee, and Burgundy pom-pom dahlia. Images:Kathryn Hawkins

Usually at this time of year, there is only one splash of colour in one a particular flowerbed in the back garden; it prompts me to think every year that I must plant a companion ready for next Autumn (and of course, I never do). Sedum “Autumn Joy” is very reliable, multi-headed with tiny pink flowerets and succulent bright green leaves, I think it must be very happy having its moment of glory every year, when it stands out alone amongst its fading neighbours, so who am I to spoil its fun?

Sedum_variety:_Autumn_Joy — Sedum “Autumn Joy”. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I will finish this post with an image of a flower I spotted in bud a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday, it was in full bloom. It is a well established shrub and should have flowered back in June, when it is normal to do so, but for some reason it has decided to break flower now. Fingers crossed we don’t get any frost………