Staying with Us. Winter Specials.

Yes folks its that time of the year\ again.
We were so pleased with how the winter special deals went last year that Im running them again this winter.
So.
From Sept 30th all winter to March 31st 2012. The priceof Mara's Cottage will be only 15 euros a night. That includes your electricity, gas, and a reasonable supply of logs for the fire.
The caravan goes down to only 10 euros a night. Again that covers electricity and Gas. It has a good fuctioning heater and is cosy enough so Im told.
Im also starting the evening meals again too. three courses, wine and coffee, 7.50 per person
Booking for Octover already!!

Funniest thing Ive seen for ages...

Just walked the dogs in the forest, its a lovely cool but sunny morning, almost autumnal...
Just down the lane the blackberries are just finishing, they have been laden this year...
I came round a bend in the track to see Beesa in the bushes. Wondering what she was upto I aproached quietly, she was eating blackberries straight off the bush... to see her trying to curl back her lips to nip off the berries without catching her mouth on the brambles.... was hysterical....makes me smile again now just thinking of it.... so sad I didnt have a camera...

Peach Compote Recipe -Frugal Cheat

Im making  quite a lot of this at the moment, a neighbour has given me all her fallen peaches, and while they are the small egg size peaches, they taste heavenly. Sadly most are bruised and not great to eat fresh, so Im making compote and we'll have wonderful peach pies during winter.
I am having to peel my peaches as they are bruised and thin skinned, but remove the skin whichever way you find easiest, dropping into water like tomatoes would be easy if your peaches were sound ones.
stone them and cut away bruised bits.
When you have done them all add a good couple of handfuls of sultanas. And then... heres the cheat bit... a peeled finely diced marrow.... Marrow is so bland it more or less has no flavour of its own, and can be used to bulk out almost anything like this. It takes on the stronger flavours of the fruit and no one will ever know...
I also at this point have been adding a big dollop of cheap whiskey, only because I have it , a guest left half a bottle behind in the cottage and we dont drink whiskey... (I usually put red wine in this recipe)
Before you add the booze, whichever you use, weigh the fruit alltogther . You will need two thirds of that weight in sugar, put to one side for later.
So simmer all your fruit and booze together till its all soft and well fallen and the juice has made it liquid... now add the sugar. Stir well and turn up the heat so it bubbles well for about 15 or 20 mins...
Put while hot into hot sterile jars , cover with small paper discs as for jam and screw on lids tight. It will keep in a cool cupboard all winter... great for pies, turnovers.... on pancakes... or icecream... yummy

Harvesting Squash.

Well we wont go hungry this winter. So far I have harvested, 38 Butternut squashes, 32 Spagetti pumpkins, 5 Uchikiri, 11 Harlequin Pumpkins and have 5 very large normal pumkins to come. The Butter nuts are sprouting more shoots and have a few smaller squashes to come yet. They always push out a smaller crop if I manage to pick them in time. I have around  a dozen marrows too, some I will use as chutney bulking stuff, others will keep in a cool place for months yet, and be used as roast veggies cut into large chunks and sprinkled with herbs... ymmmy..