Thursday 18 January 2018

Fruitful and fruit season


It's a wonderful time of year for fruit.  We've got bowls of what was termed 'last of the apricots' in two large bowls on the kitchen bench ready for preserving.  I'm not sure that he meant for ever and eternity but we've probably got enough anyhow.  I've been enjoying working my way through the excess that is Christmas food supply shopping in that we have enough food should the Tour De France happen to swing by for a quick bite, but mostly it's just us.  We ended up having two giant hams (one won in a raffle, the other given in a hamper) so I'm happily doing ham many ways.  Ham surprise, ham and everything etc.  Last night was cooked up ham pieces in a basil pesto made with more than a few missing ingredients.  I savaged our little basil pot that had been doing remarkably well out in the courtyard until the first signs of seeds and flowers...and off with their heads I go.  One bowl of pesto and now a pot of severed sticks.  I didn't have pine nuts as the usual guest at a pesto whizz up but used some local walnuts instead.  I didn't even have any Parmesan (is that the sound of Italy sinking I can hear?) so substituted vintage cheddar.  And when I say vintage, it gained an additional vintage bit from being in my fridge.  I suspect it saw the New Year in.  Anyway.  Some tomatoes were wrestled off the bushes that included Roma, Heirloom and Beefsteak varieties that were roasted in the oven until I remembered them.  All got bung in with some imported artisan Penne pasta (sound of Italy rising again).  A joy of ingredients, a simple dish and other than the pasta, most came from very close by.  We're still enjoying the loads of berries still for sale and am stocking up the freezer fast.  Once I've eaten everything else that I've got stashed in there.

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