Microwave Sponge Pudding

Not exactly an allotment recipe but I have cooked variations of this puddings using fruit ( jam made from the allotment's fruit.) . Anyway it is fairly quick to prepare and hopefully I shall get around to listing the variations before 2014 arrives.

Windfall Apple And Ginger Jam

I've had quite a few windfall apples this summer sadly they're only the size of a golf ball but still I am determined that they wont be wasted. So after gathering this week's winfalls together the process of creating Apple & Ginger Jam began .
 First the apples were quartered and put in a pan and covered in water . The pan was then brought to the boil and simmered for twenty minutes whilst the apples turned to mash .

The mash was then left to drain through a jelly bag overnight . No squeezing of the bag is allowed if you want to end up with a clear jelly jam.

The next step was to measure the juice, and then put in a pan with an equal volume of sugar. This was brought to the boil and then boiled rapidly until setting point (105 degrees C ) is reached. 

Meanwhile an inch sized piece of ginger was peeled and diced very finely . This was added to the above boiling liquid once the liquid reached 100 degrees Celsius.  

This is what you should end up with. 

An excellent alternative to marmalade.

Harvest 15th September 2013

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Vegan Raspberry Cake

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Courgette and Sultana Loaf

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Friday 13th September 2013

Rose Petal Wine 

Thursday 12th September 2013

Wednesday 11th September 2013

I have been plagued by caterpillars of all kinds this year in the polytunnel and greenhouse . The vast majority of them seem to have an appetite for tomatoes.  

This is one of several gourds that I have growing this year.

This is my last remaining large pumpkin that I have still growing the rest having already been harvested and stored at home.

This is the old apple tree that was on the site of my allotment long before my plot . It is also responsible for the windfalls that I am having to use up quickly. Apple crumble anyone?

The Jerusalem Artichokes are almost 2 meters high dwarfing the neighbouring Runnerbeans.

The harvests are getting smaller , Basil , Tomatoes ,Courgettes (one that grew larger than I would like.) , a few Raspberries and Blackcurrants aswell as windfall apples.

I picked 7 of the James Grieve apples too which I made in to a crumble along with some of the windfall apples.

2 kilos of Blackberries , 2 Lemons and 1 kilo of windfall apples along with the cores and peelings from the above apples that were used in the crumble.  All cooked gently until soft.

Once the above mixture was a soft pulp the straining of juices could begin. 

It was a long overnight process.

Bean/Pea Pod And Mint Soup

 Here's what I began with . Some Broadbean pods that I'd saved in the freezer from a previous harvest . Some Scarlet Emperor Runnerbeans and Purplepodded Beans