What a perfect day for picking apples with friends near Bushy Park last week. Soon they will be converted to cider, preserved juice and diced and preserved in a light syrup. All year round, there's always something to preserve and these apples are the best of the autumn/winter season.

I love winter when the wood heater's burning, keeping the house cosy and warm. Bonus - its oven bakes like a dream in the oven under the firebox. Today it was egg and bacon tarts and sausage rolls for visiting family, as well as the usual bread for the day (smaller loaves were cut into … Continue reading Winter Baking in the Wood Stove

Just sent a plate of these to the Custard Club's morning tea. (I couldn't go, much baking to do). What are they? Remember those 3 curds - white currant, red currant and blackcurrant? So ..... I quickly made patty cakes, split and filled them with a spoonful of curd, a swirl of whipped cream and … Continue reading Currant Curd Cupcakes

From the discussion with Renee Krosch this evening (ABC radio Sydney and Canberra), here is the recipe for my sausage rolls. Sausage rolls This is a large mixture, enough for at least a couple of dozen sausage rolls.  I tend to make this amount and then freeze half for another time or use half to … Continue reading Sausage Roll recipe

Now this was an interesting experiment a few days ago. A friend told me that she had made blackcurrant curd, which was absolutely delicious (she had used a river cottage recipe). With blackcurrants still in our freezer, I decided to try make some. Certainly delicious and set like a dream. So, I thought, why not … Continue reading Curds made from currants black, red and white

Green tomatoes - how I love them! A gift of several kilos from a friend yesterday. Both the ones I bought last Saturday week and this lot were found on a stall at the New Norfolk market. It means a large batch of green tomato chutney is in the making, just brining at the moment … Continue reading Green tomatoes

Speaking of creatures that live here with us, this fine fellow was intercepted on his way to a cooking pot (not ours). We happened to need a rooster, ours having passed away several weeks ago. And so this boy has come to stay. He's such a fine looking bird that I called him Fletcher Christian. … Continue reading Rooster – new kid on the block

Spot the difference. Is that a pig amongst the sheep? Yesterday our Cilla noticed the gate into the bottom paddock was not quite on the latch. From the house I watched her in the distance nudging the gate with her big powerful snout. Eventually she succeeded, and despite her considerable bulk did a little dance … Continue reading Cilla the Pig’s adventure

A little snack for visiting friends a couple of days ago - savoury tarts, hastily put together but tasty nevertheless, and enough to fuel us for another afternoon of preserving. This time it was apples - Michael and Roberto had a good harvest from their tree. Now none will go to waste as almost all … Continue reading Savoury tarts

An autumn tradition, one of the best. Friends Michael and Roberto came today to preserve their harvest of quinces - exceptionally large quinces I might add. Lots of fun, and so productive. Three preservers full of filled jars now all processed. Apples soon to come.