Mellow fruitfulness!

Well, there is mellow and then there is run ragged by it all!

I really should not complain, and I'm not, but how can I get "paid for" work done when there is all this fruit and stuff to be dealt with?  Once this is posted I must go downstairs and make quince juice from the 5 quince we got on our little tree - 5 quince weighing a total of 7lbs!  They are huge and gorgeous and ripe and I will photograph them before chopping them up, adding water and simmering them for a good 2 hours - the house will smell fabulous!

But that is not all!  There are still pears knocking around, plus a few peaches, tomatoes (green and red) and aubergines, which tends to imply there will need to be more chutney making going on - I have already made 10 jars of chutney of various types, plus a few bottles of plum sauce, vast quantities of jam of all sorts, while the freezer groans with all the fruit that is frozen in there for more jam and jelly making (mostly tayberries and black currants).

The chillies - two types this year, hot, and flavoursome - are ripening up and need to be strung up for drying before the deadly combination of frost and the mason starting work get them - I am always terrified of getting chilli finger and then poking myself in the eye or something similarly stupid.  But I must be brave, or my chilli con carne will be tame during the winter.

There is a giant marrow lurking in the undergrowth and three "potimarrons" - a small and sweet variety of pumpkin - that all need to be dealt with too.  The potimarrons should store if I take advantage of the fine weather currently to dry them off.  The marrow will probably end up as chicken food.

At least the medlars aren't clamouring for attention - they have another month or so to go before they will be anywhere near ready, but the nut trees are starting to do their thing.  We are rigging up nets under two walnut trees and have also invested in a nut harvester (something for a separate blog I think), while yesterday we found our first sweet chestnuts of the season and ate them roasted on the portable cooker - yummy.  That does mean that we will have to seek out chestnuts however, as the stock in the freezer is sadly depleted, and I have this brilliant crumble recipe...

We are up to 4 litres of sloe gin set off and I have another good pound of sloes to prick and put into gin, so that is good, and we can probably do with more of that.

Last year we got a good dollop of apple juice made, this year we were in a giant consortium, and came away with 24 bottles of apple and grape juice and a further 46 bottles of pure grape juice.  As the wine round here is good and cheap, why bother making something fairly nasty yourself?  Instead this rich, dark brew is ideal for lunches and cocktails, if a bit strong for breakfast.

I will tart this post up with some images, but I am also being called to pick figs which are ripening and need to be dealt with - more chutney perhaps?

By the way, if the Mossy Gnome is reading this at any stage - how are things?  Are you OK?

Comments

[Anne Donald]

You showed up in my stats this morning, so of course I popped over for a look!! I love your list of all the food/drink things you are making/storing for the winter. I have just picked the (very small) quince from our ornamental shrub, but according to Monty Don, they can be used, so I'm going to have a go at quince jelly - using a Prue Leith recipe (Delia for once having let me down!!) I'm going to pop you in my favourites, so I can visit again. Also loved your photos - really clear and sharp! Regards from Anne, in the sunny but chilly Scottish Borders

[Elizabeth]

Thanks for the enquiry. It was kind of you to ask! Mossy Gnome is taking a break from blogging for a while - but I'll enjoy keeping up with your blog!