Baking

I really enjoy baking, and have tried a few new things lately.
Above is a photo of the 'tweaked' recipe, Pear and Almond Tart. Again, home grown pears.

Nigel Slater is one of my favourite cookery writers, alongside Elizabeth David, and Madhur Jaffrey. These Hazelnut Biscuits are his recipe, and they have been a real hit. They have become an instant favourite here at ''Dragons' Wood''.

Another of Nigel's new recipes, is his Mushroom Pasties. I did add a small amount of dried ceps (reconstituted )to the mushroom mix, but that is just me fiddling. They were quick and easy to make, no difficult ingredients, and disappeared off the plates in the clattering of a spoon, (or the squeezing of a lemon, to quote Mrs David), so I'm afraid there are no pictures.

These recipes are from the Observer magazine.

Bank holiday

This poor cat has been feeling the cold recently, and so has been nagging to be held, constantly. So, I knitted him a pure wool bed, and felted it. Sadly, I was over-enthusiastic with the heat. As you can see, he can sit in it. But he can't lie down! Oh well, back to the drawing board/ knitting needles.

A bank- holiday calls for cake. These are apricot filled Chelsea buns, from a slightly tweaked Nigel Slater recipe.

Aah, the smell of baking!!!

Most of the weekend was spent in the garden, though. Best beloved dug over some of the veg. garden, and managed to sow leeks, put in potatoes and onion sets, and dig in some home-made compost ahead of planting the beans. I dug over a patch in the front garden, adding some of the same compost, then planted about fifty sweet pea seedlings around a cane tripod.

We also moved two compost bins, which was a good opportunity to turn the contents. Another bin was put in place, ready to start filling. The compost we used came from two big heaps made last year.