Been busy away from the allotment coping with the opportunities autumn presents. This year we planned to make elderberry flower champagne, but in the blink of an eye (or 40 blinks at any rate) the opportunity passed. One result was more Elderberries! So when I saw the berries were ripening I was determined to catch that wave. Here's the result which are currently fermenting away in a polytub with the satisfying (and reassuring) accompaniment of the glug glug as the gas vents through the water trap on the top. There could be some good drinking - in about a years time!
Plums is another seasonal bounty. We've had at least 10 kilos so far and there's more to come. Last year we tried two recipes. One quick and fresh tasting and the other boiling fo 3 hours. The first was good but the second brilliant! We ate all we made well before Christmas. So this year its all recipe 2. There's a video whic is enjoyable in itself on youtube. Search for "Under the Tuscan Gun Plum Jam" and you'll find it. The only amendment I make is to add the skinned kernals from inside half a dozen stones. Although they contain a toxic substance when raw this is dissipated in the cooking and I attribute the depth of flavour to this, along with the long cooking.
Tomatoes come good.
After
Before
Here's a hunter at work while I'm gathering the Elderberries.
