May Blossom and Elderflowers

Yesterday it was sunny enough for me to take my camera out, while I walked the dog.

I have a very basic camera, so the photos are not great,  but I  still wanted to share the beautiful May with you, and take the opportunity to show Elderflowers to my readers who may not know them!

You can find my recipe for Elderflower cordial here, and the recipe for Elderflower cakes here.

Elderflowers, I need about 30 of these to make
a batch of Elderflower Cordial

The May blossom is stunning

So many of the trees look beautiful
I can imagine Anne (of Green Gables) just adoring them!

The blossom is  everywhere

On both  trees and bushes

The buttercups were pleased to see the sunshine

The elderflowers were far  more difficult to see

Nestled up high in the branches

I'm going to need something, or someone, to help me
gather the elderberries when I go foraging!

They are so very pretty and delicate

If you can't find local elderflowers, then I suggest
you buy some cordial, the taste and smell will take
you straight to an English summer meadow,
and you will still be able to bake Elderflower cakes.

What a Bad Mother... I think I've spent all the children's inheritance on... Cookery Books

I'm slightly mortified, I was looking at my cookery books the other day, and decided that I do have rather a lot, I have a wish list of at least another thirty on Amazon.

They are packed into one half of the living room bookshelves.  Aren't they awkward? I can't get some of them to sit straight on the middle shelf, but I do love them and more importantly do use them, for recipes and even more often for inspiration.

I've been neglecting my blogs a little over the last few weeks, so on Monday I am spending a few hours doing some essential blog 'housekeeping' and will try from then on, to be slightly more organised.

The full bookshelves

They are all loved

I couldn't part with any

I do think I could organise them more

What do you think?

Colour?

Size?

Topic?

Or Author?

Should I go into sub sections,
bread, cakes, cupcakes, decorating?

I've  started here, these are children themed books
(ie for cooking with children, not cooking children!)

A mini Ballymaloe section, alongside the Barefoot Contessa

Great British cooking ,with French jam!

You see it really isn't easy.

Jubilee Treats

I've a terrible habit of buying bits and pieces that attract my eye, rather like a magpie.

I have bought a few foodie things pre the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and love the jolly brightness of them.

I have some cake decorations and cupcake cases as well, but will photograph them when they are in use.

So here are a couple of things bought in either Waitrose or Sainsbury's:-

I love Marmite, and this pun really made me laugh

A very jolly tin of syrup

And some Twinning's tea
(I might buy a couple more of these tins as gifts for
our French neighbours during the summer)

If you don't have the energy or time to bake
here are some pre-baked cakes

And what is more British then Digestives
(best with Chocolate)

I'm going to keep this box and send my son some treats in it
(I don't think Fancies will travel to Afghanistan!)

I do miss the chocolate,  pink and yellow!

The Joy of Blogging

As you may be aware, I've been blogging for over a year, which means that on my other blog A Trifle Rushed I have a year's worth of tried and tested recipes.

When we went to Brittany for Easter I found that I had forgotten my handwritten, and rather tatty piece of paper, which has my instructions for making Strawberry Jam, and I'd found some beautiful strawberries in the Supermarket.

I paused for a moment, wondering if I should ring my younger son, ask him to find the paper and call me back, but then I  and realised there was another  solution. I had made Strawberry Jam last Easter, and  I was pretty sure that I had written a post. I checked the recipe page, here, and then clicked through to Strawberry Jam.  I followed my instructions and hey presto:-

Three beautiful jars of homemade strawberry jam, (and a tiny bit left over for the last two days of our holiday.)

It's made me realise that I must spend some time, during the next week or so,  updating my recipe index, as it is actually a very useful tool!

Happy St George's Day, and I know this recipe uses Breton strawberries, but in a few weeks English ones should be available, and I'll certainly be making more jam.

Beautiful Breton Strawberry Jam

Lots of 1KG boxes of Strawberries

Which one should I chose?

I love the fact that the strawberries are laid in
a pattern, so that they are not all bruised

A local Breton based company

Even better when the cover is removed

I washed them

And found the recipe!

So simple, I cut them in half

Covered with sugar

Mixed them gently and left for two hours

Lots of delectable juices

Boil

And pot into jars

And this year my little girl agreed that
home made is superior to shop bought! 

Down on the Farm

The great thing about the  school holidays, is that there always seems to be an extra day, just to enjoy.

We got back from France on Sunday, and as school didn't start until Tuesday we had a 'spare' day.  One of my daughter's friends lovely Mummy (or should that read Mom, she is a New Yorker) suggested a visit to a local farm and we met her and another Mummy along with a gaggle of children, at 11am.

And the sun shone!  We had the most delightful time, there were new born lambs and a very young calf, there were donkeys and goats to pet.  There was a fantastic playground.

I brought a very tired, but very happy little girl home, and once she was asleep I got on with sewing name tapes into her new summer uniform!

I'm not adding captions to these photographs, as I think they speak for themselves.

I will catch up with everyone's blogs over the next few days, it's dreadful how quickly I get behind, I am sorry.