Damson Delights

We headed to Hertfordshire a few weeks back to visit family. Walking into the local town we found that almost every path way was lined with damson trees, dropping their fruit all over the place. The forager in me could not be contained and I had to pick a few. Then a few more... then about 12lb later we stopped. Most of the fruits were red but below is a mixture of the colours we picked. They were about the size of a massive supermarket "best" cherry. So what to go with our glut?

The first thing I did was to make a cake with the initial pavement pickings. I simply cut some damsons in half and lay them at the bottom of a cake tin. I then made a basic Victoria sponge mix and poured it on top. Turned over the result was delicious. A simple way to take any fruit and make a easy and impressive cake! The final few from the first forage Laura made into jam. We added a couple of unripe damsons and these would contain more pectin and help it set.

The main 12lb horde was bagged and boxed and brought back home to Sheffield. The first thing I did was to make some damson gin. Just by chance I had half a bottle of Gordon's finest sitting in the drinks cabinet. So in went some sugar, say enough to fill half and inch at the bottom of the bottle, and the damsons. Now normally you should prick the damsons and let them infuse the gin, that's what all my books say. I wanted to use the existing bottle so I cut them in half so they could fit and the results look good. Recent checks in the quality of taste has proved positive ;) This is going to be a great tipple in the winter.

Next is Rumtopf. We love rum and we love soft fruits. So it is very important to combine the both and make trifle for Christmas with it. It tastes great and gets you rather drunk if you are not careful. So we cleaned out our one of our good old ceramic Rumtopf jars and poured a whole bottle of rum in. Then damsons - lots - but not too much so any fruit pokes above the liquid. Finally a good sprinkle of sugar.

We of course need to eat some damsons there and then. You can't store them all. So Laura made a sticky-crusty crumble to keep me happy. The way to a man's heart...

Next chutney. Why pay for chutney in my cheese sandwiches over the next year when I can make it. Onions are needed as a base for my recipe and these home-grown organic winter onions are perfect.

The recipe: 1.4kg (3lb) damsons, 675g (1.5lb) apples, 450g (1lb) onions, 450g (1lb) sultanas, 38g (1oz) salt, 225g (0.5lb) white sugar, 1.15l (2 pints) white vinegar, 1 teaspoon all spice, 0.5 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon ginger, 0.25 teaspoon cayenne, 0.25 teaspoon mace. Yield 5lbs.

I found this recipe had an excess of liquid and a pint or so had to be taken out as the chutney was very ready. Not sure why? Maybe some very juicy fruits.

Finally we ended up with many jars of chutney. Here are a few pictured with some of Laura's freshly baked bread. Yum!

Slinging

Wearing babies is nothing new, so really why it should get such funny looks I've no idea. But a pram is part of the new baby 'kit' and therefore difficult to avoid. And there is not much information out there about slings, whereas prams are EVERYWHERE!

So I got a pram. And a sling. It was a Baby Bjorn; babywearing devotees turn their noses up at it (I now know) because it does not hold the baby anatomically correctly. And it does hurt your back once they get heavy. But I loved it (until he got heavy, and my back hurt!). I remember walking around just me and my baby and it felt wonderful and snuggly and safe. And as a bonus he would often be asleep when I got home and I cold get a warm drink before he woke up.

Since then a friend converted me to the Ergo carrier. Which has the benefit of the Baby Bjorn - click-click and you can go. But it holds baby correctly, and can be used on the front, back and hip.

I also have a HotSling which is literally a hoop of fabric which baby can sit in on your hip when he is old enough to hold his head. It rolls up small. But is not great for long walks.

But for ages now I've had yearnings to try out a wrap. There are hundreds to choose from. And now I've found plenty of forums to get some advice. And today I got my hands on my first wrap. We love it.

There are numerous health benefits to babywearing - but taking the simple, practical basics - it leaves your hands free and you don't have to wrestle a pram over a style.

Mincemeat

I know that August is a little early to be getting excited about Christmas. But it seems that most of the family will be coming to ours to share in the twinkly joy with little Tomas, so I feel like I want to make a bit of a fuss. Obviously cooking for 8 and a half in a small kitchen in a small house will be fun, so my cunning plan is to prepare as much as possible in advance. Hence getting started in August. Hence the mincemeat.

I've a friend who is mad about Nigella Lawson's cooking. And I borrowed her book - Feast - a while back. And I've been planning some rhubarb vanilla mincemeat from it ever since. And finally made it at the weekend. The photos tell the story. I can't describe the taste in words. But surely as it made 3 jars I could be forgiven for opening one before Christmas, in perhaps late summer, just to see how it was maturing...?

First you have to chop loads of rhubarb and apple and mix in tons of dark brown sugar

One it has all cooked down a little you can add the barrel load of dried fruits, raisins, sultanas and currants. And spices - vanilla pods, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, coriander seeds and grate a little nutmeg over. Feeling Christmassy yet..?

Pretty soon the house fills with spicy scents. I challenge anyone to resist a sly spoonful while it bubbles for half an hour... Stir through the brandy, then the mincemeat can be bottled, with a little extra brandy on top. It is darker than this photo shows. Dark and spicy and waiting to be made into mince pies...