Coddled Eggs

Coddled Eggs

Wednesday 30 September 2015

                                Spring is in the air ...everywhere I look around

My neighbour made the comment ...."You can nearly see the grass grow in front of your eyes" and I would agree.

Every day more and more blooms are appearing in my garden.

Today I planted about 100 bulbs, I kid you not. I was so enthused I didn't even bother with gloves but glorified in the earth........





The bulbs were Giants. They were Lily and freesia.
I can already smell them.....




I espaliered this pear 5 years ago and every year it gets more and more fruit. 
























and when my hands were too tired and sore I went inside and made some ricotta, a potato bake and those yummy citrus muffins .




Ricotta is so simple to make ,Just heat whole milk 2 litres to 90c  add tsp salt, add 1 tsp citric acid it will separate immediately .Leave for an hour or so and strain.So easy....





The ricotta goes well in mushed up pea's with sage.

So after a huge day its time for comfort food and bed...

The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.




                                                   Oranges and Lemons
What does a person do with left over Oranges and lemons....

I bought some organic oranges at the market in Christchurch a couple of weeks ago  and  calling into Timaru on my way home got given a bag of lemons from my friend Yanni .

I have made a few smoothies and a tea with a slice of lemon but still it's hard to use them before they spoil.

sooooooo
Into the super whizzy thing went 2 oranges and 2 lemons whole.....
I then added 4 cups of sugar and two litres of water and bought it all to the simmer.

When it was cool I strained it through a cloth...
The result a citrus drink to add to my Kombucha. One part citrus cordial to 2 parts Kombucha.



 and now to turn the pulp into muffins.


I ground up a bowl of walnuts hoping to use as little flour as possible.

The walnuts whizzed up into a lovely soft grind .

I creamed eggs butter and pulp..



then added the walnut and a bit of salt and nutmeg...

while it all swished round the beater bowl I floured the tins...

I added wholemeal flour baking powder and some butter milk left over from making butter.

I filled the tins and baked the muffins at 180 c.

Just before they were baked I glazed the tops with orange and lemon marmalade I had made last season and then I topped them with a few walnut bits.


 They turned out light not too zesty very morish and what's more they were moist.


"Oranges and Lemons" is a traditional English nursery rhyme and singing game which refers to the bells of several churches, all within or close to the City of London. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as No 13190.

My very talented friend Heather calligraphed this for me . I am so lucky to have this origial copy of Oranges and Lemons.


It really is exquisite.

I found this version with full explainations at this site

https://archive.org/stream/orangesandlemons012085mbp/orangesandlemons012085mbp_djvu.txt

For now I give you this version
Two Sticks and Apple,
Ring ye Bells at Whitechapple,
Old Father Bald Pate,
Ring ye Bells Aldgate,
Maids in White Aprons,
Ring ye Bells a St. Catherines,
Oranges and Lemons,
Ring ye bells at St. Clements,
When will you pay me,
Ring ye Bells at ye Old Bailey,
When I am Rich,
Ring ye Bells at Fleetditch,
When will that be,
Ring ye Bells at Stepney,
When I am Old,
Ring ye Bells at Pauls