Blueberries and Blackcurrants

Growing Blueberries

Apart from being rather tasty (must stop using the word 'yummy' about everything), blueberries are are high in antioxidants and Vitamin C and (like blackcurrants) can be frozen to enjoy throughout the year.  

I've been reading about blueberries recently where it says that they're very rewarding to grow, so long as certain details are borne in mind. 

This came from the interesting site Garden Fresco (http://www.gardenfresco.co.uk/growing-fruit/blueberries):

Apparently they like to grow in acid soil.  As the soil here is on the alkali side, adding pine needles and conifer clippings to the soil around them helps make the soil more acidic. Also put some ericaceous compost around the base of the bush at the end of April and end of June.


In order to help with pollination, and thus produce more fruit, it's recommended that we plant more than one blueberry bush.

Also add potash in spring (potash helps balance nitrates), so we will use ash from any bonfires and from our wood burning stove.


If it's any interest, this diagram came from the potassium development association website: 

Blackcurrants

So far as growing blackcurrants is concerned, here are a few notes from the Saturday Telegraph newspaper 5/4/2014:

Like blueberries, growing blackcurrants is great value as they're so expensive in the shops.  The flavour is incomparable to the shop-bought fruit, so long as we let them mature beyond when they're fully dark.  

The most reliable plants tend to have 'ben' in their name - best for flavour and for hardiness (Ben Conan, Ivory are early, probably July with Big Ben and  Ben Tirran following on later).  

Harvesting is easier if all the fruit ripens at the same time then they can be pruned and the berries picked at the same time.

They like a sunny spot with fertile soil, a metre and a half to spread out, and a good soaking in dry spells.

Their branches become less productive over time so every year remove a third of the oldest wood to allow new branches to grow through.  This can be done in the winter but it's easier to do this when the berries are ready to be harvested, put the stems into a jug of water and use the berries and leaves when needed.

Once picked, they'll keep for a few days in a fridge.  To make into a puree, which can be then frozen and used at your leisure, simply put them into a pan (no need to top and tail them) with a tiny amount of water and cook over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally.   Then sieve and freeze, unsweetened.  It's a fine base for sorbets, cocktails, ice cream.  And don't forget that the leaves make a wonderful herbal tea.

My Notebook

Like many people, my blogs are for me as much as for others, so - I'm starting a notebook of what is happening in the garden and allotment, together with 'must-do reminder lists'. NB If you find 'My Notebook' boring, do look at other pages as they're far more interesting.

First Day, 8 October 2011 - partly sunny, no frost.

• Sweet Corn: Checked for insects in the tops of the sweet corns and decided it's time to pick the last of them and put the stalks on the compost heap.
• Rubbish: Nearby was a message left, presumably by a fox, ditto into the compost heap (using a piece of newspaper, also good for compost heap).
• Courgettes: Picked some courgettes and checked the plants as am leaving one on each plant to become marrows as they keep longer.  (We love cutting them into large rings, par-boiling them, then filling the hole with cooked mince and topping with grated cheese, herbs and breadcrumbs and grilling. Yum Yum, I can't wait. Will put a pic on here very soon ...)
• Runner Beans: Picked a few stray runner beans, am leaving the big, tough ones to ripen, to use as seeds next year.  When they're ripe will cut the plants at the base, remove the foliage (compost heap) and retrieve the sticks. The roots can stay in the soil to fix the nitrogen.
• Tomatoes: Picked the last ones to ripen on the kitchen window sill, stalks to compost heap.
• Marigolds still look lovely, I keep deadheading which has no doubt helped. 
• Spinach: Picked some leaves to have tonight, put tatty/diseased leaves and stalks onto compost heap.
• Beetroot: Second crop are still rather small so will leave and see if they grow big enough to harvest.
• Leeks: planted out over the past month are settling in well.
• Parsnips: Hand weeded.
• Pests: Lots of snails and whitefly (note see what to do about them).

Note: 
Must collect some seaweed from the beach (before the Council cleaning truck gets there)
Take a photo of the Marigolds.
Time to plant:

• Broad Beans for next year (less chance of black fly, which was very bad this year)
• Red Onions (buy)

On Gardeners' Question Time yesterday on Radio 4, they said in August it's a good idea to plant lettuce, potatoes, runner beans, beetroot and others, just in case we have an Indian Summer, when it'll be possible to harvest late goodies.  If we don't, the price of seeds used will be minimal.  Will try this next year.


Sunday 9th
No time for any allotment work as spent a fruitless two hours helping Dorothy, but David was busy moving paths and starting to dig.  May get some done tomorrow....


Monday 10th
David still moving paths and I'm digging the bits in between and removing the stroil, ready for covering the soil to supress weeds, to make running the patch much easier next year.  I read somewhere that digging in the Autumn is preferable as it doesn't dry the soil out so much as digging in the Spring, a real problem here with our dry Springs and sandy soil.
Today picked the large runner beans which were left to grow large on purpose and they will be left in a paper bag to dry, read to plant next year. 
Also noticed that the green manure which was planted last week is coming through, must remember to chop it up and dig back into the soil before it flowers.


Tuesday 11th: digging, finding lots of stroil and then strew some green manure on the site.  We love this - a fairy or other friend must have written on it!:

Wednesday 12th: Planned to go to the allotment but thought first I'd attach the ivy which is parasitically clinging onto several trees in the drive, including a pear tree which is gradually losing the battle.  Started by making cuts all around the bottom and then pulled off as much as possible, leaving ivy in the top of the tree of die off and release the trees to become themselves again.


Thursday 13th: As it had been a bit damp it was a good day to start digging out the weeds in one of the side beds at home, moving the unwanted plants down to the bottom, near the summerhouse.




14 October: There was a light shower in the night but the ground had dried out enough by this afternoon, so we were able to go up again today and do some more digging.   We are making four long, fairly wide beds with grass paths in between (note: must take photo of this).
The Green Manure is coming along well, the Vetch that is, but the Rye Grass hasn't yet sprouted.


15 October: did some more digging and took some photos of the new beds taking shape:

19 October: Forecast of frost tonight so went up to allotment and harvested remainder of marrows. Dug over and applied chicken manure and green manure to dig in later.


31 October: still no frost, have now picked last of courgettes and consigned foliage to compost heap. Still picking a few stray raspberries. 
It's been rather wet so the digging isn't proceeding as fast as we'd like. However, what has been dug over has either been planted with green manure or covered with breathable membrane (so water can permeate).  The green manure planted is vetch and rye grass, will leave it 'til Spring, then chop and incorporate into the soil.


Autumn Recipe time - Smashed Curried marrow:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/smashed-curried-marrow

How to harvest beetroot

We had a good crop of beetroot earlier in the year which have now been harvested and either eaten: raw grated, cooked or cooked and bottled in vinegar (see my posting of 3.8.11).  

Now we're left with lots of tiny plants at the allotment, so I wondered if it's worth digging these up or leaving for a few more weeks in case they grow a bit:

One rule of thumb to apply next year is that they take about 90 days from sowing to harvesting, so will try to keep a diary of sowing.


Helpful sites including: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-harvest-beetroot


BBC site (probably designed for children and complete novices): http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/digin/vegetables/beetroot.shtml

Baby Courgette - it's too dry to plant it out - we have had no rain for
about 12 months now and none forecast for the next two weeks
(22.5.11)

 I don't know what this is but it is rather pretty and likes shade.

Hosta, before attack by slugs

Euphorbia 

Some vegetables harvested in 2010

Allotment - Mid August 2011

I spent a couple of hours at the Allotment this afternoon, digging up some potatoes and harvesting runner beans, courgettes, lettuces, a couple of onions.  Then I carried on tackling the new bit which hasn't been dug over yet, removing lots of stroil and feeling very virtuous.

There was a frog in the pond today but photos of it didn't come out clearly, so are some of the rest of the photos:

 Glorious nasturtiums amongst the onions

 Bumble Bee on the runner beans

 Beetroot, onions, marigolds, lettuces and windmill:

As you can see the beetroot looks rather sparse - that's because we've picked so many. I'm pleased to say that there are some tiny ones coming along for later.

 Spinach, tomatoes, cucubits, broad beans, peas, marigolds (above and below)

Beetroot

We have lots of beetroot in the allotment at the moment and are not keen on eating them in vinegar.  So we have them nearly every day - and still can't keep up with the glut.  So I've just made some Borscht - and here's the recipe:

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

500g beetroot, peeled

2 celery sticks

1 large cooking apple, peeled

1 red pepper

125g mushrooms.

1.8 litres stock

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 pinch dried thyme

1 large bay leaf

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

s&p

Garnish: 200ml soured cream, dill sprigs

• Chop vegetables.
• Put onion, garlic, beetroot, apple, celery, red pepper and mushrooms into large saucepan with oil and 3 tsp stock..
• Cover and cook gently for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Add cumin seeds and cook one minute, then add remaining stock, thyme, bay leaf, balsamic vinegar and s&p to taste.
• Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins.
• Let soup cool then remove bay leaf and blend.

Serves 6


I also love cooking beetroot whole and eating them as they are, either hot or cold, with any meal.


Apparently they are also lovely with a white sauce. Or instead of a white sauce mix horseradish and a little yoghurt or cream and pour over.


Some people grate raw beetroot onto a salad, which does look rather striking.


Incidentally, earlier in the year if you're short of green salad stuff, take a leaf from each of your beetroot, they won't mind and will carry on growing just the same.


Today for the first time I'm going to pickle some of our beetroot for the winter and here's the recipe:


Pickled Beetroot


2 kg Fresh beetroot
1 1/2 litres vinegar - malt or wine
1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
About 10 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
(250g sugar is optional)

• Chop stalks off beetroot, leaving about an inch at the end.
• Scrub gently to remove mud.
• Cook them - either in foil in the oven (180C 2 hrs) or boil/pressure cook them.
• While beetroot is cooking put vinegar, coriander, cloves, peppercorns and bay leave in large pan.
• Bring to the boil for about one minutes.
• Turn off heat and cover the pan.
• Leave for flavours to infuse for about two hours.
• Drain before using.
• Peel beetroot with hands (preferably wearing gloves) and slice about 1 cm thick.
• Put beetroot and vinegar mixtures into steralised jars.

This recipe sounds very similar to when we used to make pickled eggs years ago.

Helping make pickled eggs at the Barley Sheaf, 

Liskeard, Cornwall, ( http://www.staustellbrewery.co.uk/pubs/a-z-of-pubs/73-barley-sheaf-liskeard.html ) in about 1953 (less  worry about 

elf and safety in those days).

Jenny's Soup

To save money on food bills - and to regulate my weight - we have soup every day, I make about once a week and freeze in small amounts.

All stock from cooking vegetables is kept as is any veg/salad not eaten at any meal.  The day after there is some, it's either incorporated into 'today's' soup or made into a batch for the freezer.  David knows that any veg not eaten at a meal 'will go into the soup!'.

My General Soup is something like this:

• onion, carrot as much as you like, plus garlic.
• some greens, some swede, parsnip (not too much of these)
• any other veg, such as peppers, leeks, the middle of the cauli which no-one wants to eat, outer leaves, lettuce, other salad (I even put in some coleslaw last week and it was lovely), courgettes, beetroot, tomatoes/tomato puree.

First fry onions (and garlic) add other vegetables and stock, a bay leaf (but remove before you whizz the soup) possibly some lentils or a handful of porridge oats and cook.  I often add one or two stock cubes, also miso/herbs near the end of the cooking. Thyme's also lovely, as are basil with tomato and tarragon with leeks.

(A pressure cooker is great as it saves time.)

(Also chicken/ham stock are very nice, especially a few bits of meat for the onmivores)

Then whizz, either in the liquidiser or blender, although now I use a hand blender. Much less washing up, although it is important not to spray the whole of the kitchen in soup!

Then either eat that day or freeze - it's useful to take to work in a flask - or if you want to eat it in the evening, get it out of the freezer in the morning and it's defrosted by the time you get home.

• last week the soup had courgettes and peppers in and lots of tomato, so I added a teaspoon of pesto and a teaspoon of peanut butter - and it was lovely!
• Another time there was some cauliflower cheese left over and that was great too.
• Soup can be served with cheese/croutons or other garnish.

(Comparatively) Healthy Cakes! - and a Chocolate cake recipe ...

Today at work a (very kind!) colleague brought in a Beetroot and Chocolate Cake for us to share and it was absolutely yummy! and apparently beetroot is incredibly good for us, see: http://len7288.hubpages.com/hub/Health_Benefits_of_Red_Beets  and http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49.
So am now going to try and track down the recipe to share here .....


Well to start with here is Nigel Slater's offering and I always love his recipes (however this one has coffee in, which I can't take, so will keep looking):


Chocolate Beetroot Cake with Creme Fraiche and Poppy Seeds


200g fine dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)

4 tbsp hot espresso

200g butter

135g plain flour

a heaped tsp baking powder

3 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder

5 eggs

190g golden caster sugar

crème fraîche and poppy seeds, to serve

Lightly butter a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment. Set the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Cook the beetroot, whole and unpeeled, in boiling unsalted water. Depending on their size, they will be knifepoint tender within 30 to 40 minutes. Young ones may take slightly less. Drain them, let them cool under running water, then peel them, slice out their stem and root, and blitz to a rough purée.

Melt the chocolate, snapped into small pieces, in a small bowl resting over a pot of simmering water. Don’t stir. When the chocolate looks almost melted, pour the hot coffee over it and stir once. Cut the butter into small pieces – the smaller the better –and add to the melted chocolate. Dip the butter down under the surface of the chocolate with a spoon (as best you can) and leave to soften.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Separate the eggs; put the whites in a mixing bowl. Stir the yolks together.

Now, working quickly but gently, remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and stir until the butter has melted into the chocolate. Leave for a few minutes, then stir in the egg yolks. Do this quickly, mixing firmly so the eggs blend into the mixture. Fold in the beetroot. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold in the sugar. Firmly but tenderly fold the beaten egg whites and sugar into the chocolate mixture. A large metal spoon is what you want; work in a deep, figure-of-eight movement but take care not to over-mix. Fold in the flour and cocoa.

Transfer quickly to the prepared cake tin and put in the oven, turning the heat down immediately to 160C/gas mark 3. Bake for 40 minutes. The rim of the cake will feel spongy, the inner part should still wobble a little when gently shaken.

Leave to cool (it will sink a tad in the centre), loosening it around the edges with a palette knife after half an hour or so. It is not a good idea to remove the cake from its tin until it is completely cold. Serve in thick slices, with crème fraîche and poppy seeds.

Here's Tesco's equivalent: http://www.tescorealfood.com/recipes/beetroot-and-chocolate-cake.html






An idea of what to do with all those carrots you've grown

Carrot Cake

• 75g grated carrot
• 75g sugar
• 50g chopped nuts and seeds
• 75g self raising flour
• 1 tsp tsp cinnamon
• 75 oz oil
• 1 egg

Mix together and then cook at No 4 for 50 mins.

Now we have a surplus of courgettes - they're rather like buses, none for ages and then there's a glut, so a friend recommended

Courgette Cake  
(recipe taken from Reconnect magazine)

18.9.11 - I cooked this cake today and all agreed it was wonderful! There was no way anyone would realise they were eating courgettes!

8 oz courgettes 
(grated - peel if you don't want a green cake (peelings can be put in the soup))
5 oz butter
9 oz sugar
4 eggs
11oz self-raising flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon or mixed spice
4 oz seedless raisins
3 oz chopped nuts
2 tsp vanilla essence

• Preheat oven - No 4 / about 180C 
• Grease 2 x 1 lb tins (or trays). They may be lined with greaseproof paper.
• Cream butter and sugar 
• Beat the eggs.
• Add flour alternately with eggs, mixing well.
• Add cinnamon, courgettes, raisins, nuts and vanilla essence.
• Put into oven and cook for about an hour.
• Cool cake when you remove from the oven.
• Gently ease cake out of tin.

We don't grow apricots or bananas but here are a couple of nice recipes:

No-Sugar Apricot Cake

• 150g dried apricots (I prefer the dark ones)
• 1/2 pint orange juice
• 150g flour
• 1 tsp bicarb
• 6 tbsp oil
• 3 eggs

1. Oil 8" diameter cake tin.
2. Put apricots and orange juice into a saucepan and bring to the boil, leave to soak 4 hours.
3. Drain apricots and liquidise with 6 tbsp liquid.
4. Put flour into bowl, make a well in the middle and add the fruit, eggs and oil.
5. Beat the batter until thick.
6. Put mixture into tin and cook for about 20 mins at No 4.
7. Turn onto wire rack.

We don't grow any bananas on our allotment, but here's a wonderful recipe for Banana Cake, passed on by a friend:

Banana Cake
3 oz butter
2 oz sugar
8 oz SR flour
1 lb mashed bananas (after removal of skins.  Tip: scatter chopped banana skins under roses to give the roses much-needed potassium)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence

• Cream butter and sugar
• Add beaten eggs
• Add flour and bananas
• Cook at No 4 in a lined 2 lb tin
• ** Variation - could add some ginger.
• Cook at 190/170C/gas 3/4 for about 25 mins for buns, more for a loaf.

Baked Pudding Antonio 
(no idea why Antonio!)

4 oz margarine
3 oz brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp black treacle
5 oz SR flour
1 tsp mixed spice
2 oz breadcrumbs
2 oz sultanas
2 oz mixed peel
1 oz chopped apple

1. Cream margarine and sugar
2. Add egg and 1 tbsp water and treacle.
3. Fold in rest of ingredients
4. Bake at No 5/375 for 30 mins.

Serve hot as a pudding with custard or cream - or eat cold as a cake

Chocolate Cake

• 250g butter
• 300g light muscovado sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 100g self-raising flour
• 5 eggs
• 300g dark chocolate

Icing

• 200g dark chocolate
• 200ml double cream (or natural yoghurt)

1. Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. 
2. Butter and line a 20cm cake tin. 
3. Using an electric whisk, beat together butter and light muscovado sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. 
4. Measure out plain flour and self-raising flour. 
5. Beat in 5 eggs one at a time, adding 1 or 2 tbsp flour if the mixture starts to split. 
6. Pour 300g melted and slightly cooled dark chocolate into the mixture, beating as you do so. 
7. Fold in the rest of the flour. 
8. Spoon into the tin and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes; the cake should be risen with a crust on top. 
9. Cool and then take out of the tin. Split the cake horizontally.
10. To make the icing, gently melt together dark chocolate with double cream. 
11. Cool until thickened slightly. 
12. Fill the cake with icing, then spread the rest over the outside.

However, I read today that putting in cocoa powder instead of actual chocolate makes chocolate cakes lighter - will investigate this!

Almond and Orange Cake (from BBC Good Food, always a good site)

• 250g butter
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 2 oranges , zest and juice
• 4 eggs
• 50g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 250g semolina
• 200g ground almonds
• 120g Greek yogurt
• crème fraîche to serve (optional)

• 2 oranges , zested and juiced
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 275g sugar 

1. To make the syrup put all the syrup ingredients in a pan with 500ml water and bring slowly to a simmer, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer until syrupy, about 10 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and base line a 20cm springform cake tin. Cream the butter, sugar and orange zest until pale and fluffy. Beat the eggs then whisk in one at a time.
3. Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold through along with the orange zest, semolina and almonds. Add the orange juice and yogurt and stir gently. Pour into the prepared tin and cook for about 1 hour or until firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre.
4. Remove the cake from the oven and pierce all over with a skewer. Pour half the hot syrup over the warm cake. Leave to cool.
5. Drizzle the cake with the remaining syrup and serve with a large spoonful of crème fraîche if you like

Finally, I don't know whether a G&T Cake comes into this category (healthy?) but it does sound fun:  (http://www.puddinglaneblog.co.uk/2014/06/gin-and-tonic-cake.html?m=1)

THE INGREDIENTS

4 eggs, weighed in their shells

equal weight of:

butter

caster sugar

self-raising flour

2 lemons

8-10 shots of your favourite gin

dash tonic water (optional)

150g granulated sugar

Hemp Ginger Cake (not tried it yet) http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/12/hemp-ginger-cake-recipe-lepard