From Spade to Plate: 5th June 2017 - Edible flowers for my salad

As the lettuces are in need of eating, having a group of 6 keen Visiting Scholars to help harvest, cook and eat, I thought this would be a nice complement to the Asparagus and Broad Bean risotto that we are making.

Currently I have Calendula (orange and yellow), Nigella (light blue), Cornflower (dark blue), Chives (purple and oniony tasting) and little yellow rocket flowers that we can use to add to the Salad.

There are many more edible flowers that we can add to the salad later in the season and will use them as and when they are ready for use.

Nigella

Cornflower

For now,  I make a basic dressing of Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, coarse grain mustard and a little honey (from Stella's bees) and add it to the mixed lettuces that are ready for harvest.

Mixed
Lettuces

Asparagus and broad bean risotto

From Spade to Plate: 5^th June 2017

Asparagus and broad bean risotto

Preparation time: 
15 minutes

Cooking time: 
25 minutes

Total time: 
40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

175g fresh broad beans

150g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths

1 vegetable stock cube

1 onion, chopped

250g  Risotto Rice

75ml White wine

3 tbsp grated Parmigiano

flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. Add the beans and asparagus to a pan of simmering water and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until just al dente. Drain and reserve the water. Use this water and the stock cube to make up 1.2 litres of stock, and keep it simmering in a pan.

2 Put the onion in a medium non-stick pan. Cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes until soft and golden. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute, then the wine. Add the stock a ladleful at a time and keep stirring until each one is absorbed. This will take 15 - 20 minutes.

 3 When the rice is almost tender, add the beans and asparagus and cook for a couple of minutes to heat through. Stir in the cheese, butter and parsley off the heat and season to taste.

strawberries in vertical garden

harvesting broadbeans

harvesting broadbeans in allotment

asparagus and broadbeans freshly harvested for the risotto

baby pumpkin, have great hopes for it!


These pumpkins were harvested in September. great way to use  this plot for 2  crops. Asparagus and pumpkins

Vertical garden

Khadia and Servan processing strawberries for the icecream

Servane and Khadya

Harvesting the first onion

shelling broadbeans for the risotto

The icecream is VERY simple.

I had three ripe bananas. I cut them in little pieces and open froze them.
We picked the strawberries and added them into the food processor with the frozen bananas. Blend until smooth and eat immediately or put in the freezer for another hour or so. Not too long as otherwise it becomes very hard.

Easy and delicious! Give it a try.  (Vegan and no added sugar)                                   

           

From Spade to Plate

Now I have my allotment down the road (2 minutes walk), a garden full of lovely vegetables and fruit and a kitchen to process in and enjoy the meals I cook, I thought it might be nice to invite people to join me to harvest and cook and have a meal together.

I have sent out a communication to the NVS group to see if there my be an appetite for this idea.
Fingers crossed, I will have a group of visiting scholars with or without their families who would like to make their first Elderflower cordial on Monday bank holiday.

Nuts

On my way to my friends Simin and Elsa, I found an abundance of nuts and fruit.
It was a glorious day, sun was shining with a slight feel of autumn in the air.
First I went to Simin to return her empty jar after finishing her delicious apple and ginger compot gift, which she gave last weekend as part of the Bring and Share event.

On the way there I noticed that the walnut tree on the corner with Akeman street and Stretten Ave was dropping its nuts. I picked up the ones on the pavement and the very kind builder who was working next door gave me some more handfuls. I was very grateful as I eat them every day in my salads. I better dig out my nut cracker so I can enjoy them in the months to come.

A few minutes later I arrived at Simin's on Lexington Close and when I was looking for a place to park my bike, I noticed a hazel across the road. No more nuts on the tree but on the ground I managed to collect a few hand fulls of nuts the squirrels had not eaten yet. With great excitement I have taken them home to see if the squirels knew something I did not.

The result: not one usable nut, the squirrels new better!

Then I went to see Elsa on Windsor Road, we had a lovely lunch and for afters went into the garden to finish picking the beautiful cooking apples on her tree. So great that Elsa has an apple picking stick as we managed to pick 3 large bags of unblemished apples  ready to store and turn into juice later next week.  Whilst picking we noticed that her neighbour still had some plums on their tree. Not many as most were rotting on the floor, but after finishing the apple picking we sat in the sunshine and enjoyed the taste of the last 4 perfect unblemished and sweet plums.  What a joy!

Pears in September

After seeing the pears on Canterbury street a few weeks ago, I decided to go back and see how the pears were doing,  as I needed to go to the shops on Histon Road so went via Windsor Road to Canterbury road.

Good fortune as the pears had just started to drop so harvesting was easy.
After only a few minutes, I returned with a large bag of beautiful conference pears. I will store them and eat one or two a day over the next few weeks as part of my breakfast.

Juicy and delicious.

Picking eating apples at Elsa

Today went to Elsa's on Windsor Road to pick eating apples. They were not too sweet and would be good to press without mixing with cookers.

On the way back I noticed an eating apple tree in the same street, over hanging the pavement.
Will see if next week they are still on the tree as the wheelie bin is totally full with apple pressing left overs.

Thank you Elsa for the lovely apples.

Apple picking at Jo's

After a false start on Friday (very wet weather) we picked some apples at Jo's across the street.
Not many but enough to have to do a few pressings with Weihua, Greg and Mayumi .
The weather was a little better but the first feel of autumn. 34 degree last week whereas 16 degree today.
Nonetheless we had a lovely time. We are blessed to have an Abundance of Lovely people and apples!

apple picking at St Edmunds' College

Due to the terrible weather on Friday, Mark and I took the opportunity today to pick some eating apples at St Edmunds' College as tomorrow will be apple juicing with some members of the NVS.
The apples are in abundance but very small. I even managed to pick some pears with the new pickers. A passerby who has lived here for 50 years told us about the plum trees she used to harvest. Must have a look next year to see if there are some to share.

The walnuts are almost ready too but the squirrels seem to have been there a little earlier than me!

Fruit at St Luke's school

Today I went to have a look at the school orchard. Many of the apples have already dropped on the ground. Should've been there a week earlier. Still some on the trees, will check with the school if they can harvest for a pressing session.

Pears are nearly ready and the quinces are still growing.

Lots of lovely trees, just need some more care and attention

Apples in French' road are ready

On my way to checking out St Edmunds I swung by French' road to see if the apple tree, Hugo and I harvested last year had any apples and if so if they were ready.

I notice a lot of rotten apples on the floor and still some to harvest. I have decided to go back this afternoon as the weather is beautifully warm and sunny. Such a treat at this time in the year.
There are not many, but they will be lovely for the coming breakfasts.

Apples, Pears and Figs on Canterbury Street

On my search for the last black berries, I went via Histon Road recreation ground. Unfortunately I was too late. None left but ending at the other side of the park found a lovely apple tree at 69 Canterbury street. It is a rented house and the tenant was happy for me to pick the apples. They are difficult to identify,  Pressing them made a lovely fresh juice. No need to mix with other apples.

The pears and figs in the garden are not quite ready yet. Will check next week.

Eating apples and cookers in Claire Street

I remembered that in the little passage way on the side of the Bangladeshi restaurant Meghna there was a rental garden with yellow plums, green gages, cooking and eating apples.
The eating apples are sweet but with a lot of blemishes. Very good for pressing.
I went today before going to the NVS as later this afternoon a group of the NVS and Skills Exchange members will meet up to pick more eating apples at Garden Walk to then go to Victoria Road to press them all into some lovely sweet juice.

Black berries

Our annual search for black berries used to be very easy. Just down the road on Primrose Street, or St Luke's school playground,  things have changed. The builders cut down all the black berries as did the groundsman at the school and On his way to work at Coton Primary School, Thomas used to see the progress of the black berries near the motor way bridge and then tell me when it would be time to pack up and get ready for some serious picking.  This year, all changed as he stopped his job there and I had no guide on when to pick. When I came today, I picked about 2kg and turned it into delicious cordial.
Still much more to come, so expect to be back in a week's time. I was told that Histon Road recreation ground had some good berries too. Have not got time this week but will try next week.
.

Cooking apples in Stretten Avenue are ready

For the moment I arrived in Cambridge, I have been able to pick the apples in this garden. When I first saw the tree, it was over hanging the road so a mess on the pavement and road as well as in the next door's garden. This house is rented out so when the apples are ready there are no students present. The owner of the tree was an old lady who had just gone into a nursing home. Her children were happy for me to harvest. I remember baking a pie for her which her son took to his mother.

He also showed me that they had an apple tree and damson tree in the back garden.

Then last year, the house was rented out and I managed to pick the apples again.

Now a family has bought the property and they too were happy for me to harvest.

These apples are cookers, no signs of grubs very good quality

The 2016 apple season has started

After a lovely open gardens walk in Garden Walk, I spotted a most beautiful apple tree in Paul and Yusuf's garden. They told me that the apples are very early (ready on the 1st August) and that they don't keep at all and taste rather 'cotton wool' like (don't know how that tastes but does't sound nice)

I asked them if I could try and press them, so a week later, armed with my apple picker and some bags I went to pick this abundance of lovely red apples.  Before starting Yusuf had baked a most delicious Hungarian cake to go with the coffee. After a lovely chat, I set to work and came back home with a large crate of sweet red apples.


The first pressing of the season was preformed in our new garden in the sunshine which resulted in some bottles for Paul and Yusuf as well as for Darren and Sarah as Maddy came to help out and learn how turn apples into juice.

Contrary to the description the boys gave me, the juice was sweet and fresh and gratefully received.

Apples, apples, sweet eaters on Midsummer Common

Yesterday on a lovely sunny September Sunday we had a walk along the river and came across this amazing apple tree. The house in which garden it stood was empty and apples were all over the floor.
As today is again a warm sunny autumn day, I decided to have a walk there with some plastic bags and apple picker to see what they were like.

I gave many away to passers by and the verdict was: 10 out of 10 for taste. Delicious, juicy eaters.
One of the passers by was Magic, he loved the apples too and as he was on his way to have a shower at Winter Comfort, he was happy to take a carrier bag of apples with him to hand out to others.

I spoke with the manager of Fort St George who told me that the house is not in permanent use and all the apples would go to waste. At least this year some of them ended up into grateful mouths!

Wow, what amazing pears

I walk past this garden many times when I go to Mitcham's corner opposite Staples.
Unfortunately every time I know on the apartment doors, it is to no avail. However today I struck it luck. Massimo, who lives on the ground floor was in and like last year let me in to pick these amazing pears that were scattered around the car park. Big and juicy. On the way back many people had one for their lunch, from the post lady, to some builders, a mum with her children and  me. What a treat.

There were also a few figs left, but they were nearly finished. Nice to know for next year

First pressing of the year

After all the apple picking this week I have decided to press the apples with a few of my newly made friends.

Manon was the first to join to help set up the gazebo, tables and chairs followed swiftly by Andrea of the NVS (new comers and visiting scholars)

Silvia came with her children and mother and father,who also turned out to be great helpers.

We had a fun and productive morning we started at 9.30 and finished by 11.30 at which time Graham and Lida came to pick up the press and hopper so that they could use it for their group at the workshop. It was such a success so that next year we might combine the pressing and do this together.

Fruit, fruit glorious fruit

Armed with my trusty fruit picker and wheel barrow, I went on a local adventure

First I followed up on a call from my neighbour, Silvia, who saw some laden apple trees near the Indian Restaurant on Victoria Road.  After having spoken with the tenant, I managed to clear up all the rotten apples that were already on the ground and within 1/2 hour had a wheel barrow full of cooking and eating apples. They shone like jewels, so attracted lots of attention so a great way to hand out to passers by.

As we will be pressing these apples tomorrow with the new comers and visiting scholars, I dropped them off in the garden straight away.

On my way I noticed figs on the floor, when I looked up saw a dozen lovely ripe ones waiting to be picked. With my picker they were swiftly removed, one eaten straight away and the rest are to give away and maybe have some for breakfast.

From the back of the carpark across the road from us, I noticed a tree with beautiful red apples. I knocked on their door and Lida opened up and introduced me to her husband Graham.
It so happened that they too are going to press their apples tomorrow. As they only have eaters and I only have cookers I have suggested a swap to get a better acidity ratio.
We agreed to stay in touch as Vincent the man with the apple juicing knowledge will get back to me to arrange the best way to go about it. As I have picked all my apples for now and I don't need my picker, it will come to good use for them tomorrow.

All this in one hour! Meeting interesting and kind people, eating healthy fruit and looking forward to another lovely day tomorrow.

House is sold - apples are falling ....

After a tip off from my neighbour that there is a tree on Stretten Ave shedding its load, I went to investigate.\

It turned out to be sold and remember from last year meeting Chris and Fiona (the owners very grown up children)who harvested the apples with their mum when they were children. When  I knocked on the door, there was no answer.Tthe house is empty and apples were all over the floor (also next door where the student house's drive was dotted with rotten apples)

After picking most of the apples, I tidied up and on my way home managed to hand out 1/2 of the apples picked.

A great way to get to know your  neighbours. I can recommend it to anyone!

Back to Panton Street

Reggie and I went back this evening to finish off the cooking apple tree.
There was not much for me to do as my apple picking had already harvest all that were in reaching height. Reggie however was a star as he climbed the tree and Kate and I emptied the bin that he lowered down to us.

After a tidy of the garden, we left with another crate of beautiful cooking apples.
They will be pressed  this weekend, weather permitting and hopefully some delicious juice with go to Reggie, Kate and their neighbour Toby (who asked me to do some more harvesting of eaters for him in the near future)

I will be busy, whilst meeting some lovely people. What a treat

Sun is shining and a laden table is on the front porch

After a rather unpredictable day, where despite a lot of rain, we picked

•  Runner Beans,  
• Cooking apples, 
• cucumbers and 
• courgettes.

They are now on our little table, for others to enjoy.

Thank you for the person who dropped off a carrier bag of eating apples. I had one for my breakfast. Delicious!

Will be picking pears today, just around the corner in Harvey Goodwin Avenue, so for pear lovers, come and have a look at the table in the next few days.

Looking forward to it.

26th August 2015

I received a call from Kate  saying that the apples are dropping and could we come with a group to pick.
Reggie, Thomas, Mark and I went armed with pickers, boxes and bags and picked to our hearts' content. We stopped when it became dark, but still plenty more to come.

Reggie high up in the tree

For now,  the majority of my batch will go on the Abundance table, and make some of Monique's Apple crumblies to surprise the family. The next lot I harvest from Kate's garden will be used for when I will be picking eaters as the mix of 1/3 cookers and 2/3 eaters makes a delicious apple juice.
The press is still in storage but will be itching soon to come out.

So today on the table we have:

Cucumbers
Greengages
Purple French beans
and delicious cooking apples from Kate's garden

Why not walk by and pick some up for you to enjoy.

20th August 2015 - First time for the Abundance table to see the light

As I don't have my allotment anymore the start of the Abundance table is a little later than last year. But never the less, once again we have some delicious fresh food.

Today we had some Runner Beans, cucumbers and french beans.

All harvested from within walking distance from our home.

Enjoy!

Elderflower cordial making with New Comers and visiting scholars

Last week on my way to the New Comers and Visiting scholars Tuesday meeting I noticed that along the river Cam on Chesterton Road, was a fantastic Elder in flower. Plenty to pick and make Elderflower Cordial with.  Later that afternoon my son Michael and I made our first batch of pure delight. This is our annual ritual to welcome summer. I hope it will be a good one.

This is the starting sign for many more foraging trips in the weeks ahead.

Rather than making this delicious drink all by myself, I thought it might be nice to invite some of the visiting scholars  partners to come and join in so we arranged  to meet this afternoon and pick the flowers, make the juice and consume some together.

In the end, we picked the flowers from St Luke's church yard and did the 'workshop' in my house.
We had visitors from Germany, Japan, China, America, Iran, India and Korea and all went home with their own little bottle.

With the left over lemon I made elderflower and lemon marmalade and ate it on a lovely warm scone.

We had a great hour together.

Teresa has a point!

Teresa, a friend from Transition Cambridge made a good point in the last Food Group meeting I attended. " it is all well and good to reap the fruits of the trees that are now nearly 100 years old, we need to plant some new ones, for the next generation".  Good point well made.

It would be great if we could find larger areas in Cambridge for the public to enjoy the fruit but for now, I  have decided to start in our own back yard.

Autumn is now well and truly on the way and it is time to put my little garden to bed for winter.
Compost bin full and space created, I have planted a mini apple, pear and espalier cherry tree from
 J Parkers

I hope that if I won't be able to enjoy the fruit, others will be able to do so in the future.

Carrie's Medlar

When harvested walnuts and quinces a few months ago I noticed an amazing Medlar tree.
It brought back memories and brought me back to the time I was a little girl and used to spent time with the gardeners. I noticed at the back of the greenhouse a tree with strange fruit. Jos, the headgardener told me it was a Medlar and that it needed to 'rot' before you could eat it.  From the last lawn cuttings he made me a pile, we picked the medlars and pushed them deep into the grass. He said the warmth of the grass would 'ripen' the fruit. I had to be patient, (still not one of my strongest points) but waited until the fruit was soft. I remember the excitement when I tried this mysterious fruit more than the taste to be honest.

So seeing the fruit again, wondered if there were some better recipes and Jamie came to rescue.
The blossom in spring is amazing, the leaves big and stunning and the fruit beautiful, even if it is a acquired taste.

Strawberry tree in Bridge Street

Leaving the pretty Christmas lit streets behind me and walking into  Bridge Street, I noticed strawberry like fruit scattered across the street. I look up and a beautiful ever green tree, covered in red fruit adorning the corner of the street.

On arrival home, I did a search and found that it was a Strawberry Tree.
and Jul's wrote a lovely blog about it including some recipes. So if you have a Strawberry tree in your area and don't want the fruit to go to waste, check out her recipes.

Now I remember again how I got inspired to grow

Yesterday I met 4 new ladies from Chesterton, they all loved gardening, they mentioned that their attempts to get people involved in a open front garden event had been an uphill 'struggle'.

When I mentioned Incredible Edible and the wonderful conference I went to last week, they told me they had not heard of Incredible Edible before. So on my return, I searched for the Ted Talk presented by Pam Warhurst in 2012. When watching it after so many years, I got inspired again. Gosh, isn't Pam's enthusiasm infectious?

I hope The Chesterton ladies, will get inspiration from this talk, just as I did so many years ago

Have a look at the talk, enjoy and turn that little p(l)ot in front of you house into something edible!

Time to store my trusty apple press

All the apples are now off the trees and the apple press has done its work for the year.
It's cleaned up and oiled ready for storage. I have been very lucky that St Luke's school has been so kind to let me have a little space for the table, press and chopper so that hopefully next year we can use it for apple juice making with the children.

More walnuts on Akeman Street

After cycling back from Aldi, I noticed an amazing walnut tree shedding its nuts on to the road.
I went back with Silvia and the children and had a lovely time. Not very large but delicious.

So lovely to meet Carrie

Whilst waiting for my husband at Christ Pieces I noticed an amazing walnut tree.
the fruit was dropping onto the street so decided to contact the owner to find out if I could pick for them.
They were delightful and happy to let me return the next day armed with pickers and my son, Michael.
Within the hours we returned with a large carrier bag full of the delicious fruit.
They are now drying out in the loft, had already had a few in our salad. Beautiful!

A beautiful orchard in one of our local colleges

It was so good to speak with Daren and Ian the gardener, who let me come with various groups to pick the abundance of apples in their orchard.

There were almost too many specimen, luckily enough, I had an SOS from Simon who wanted to have apples from Brain Wave a  charity he works for and who always make apple juice, this time they did not have enough apples so was pleased to help them in the mean time.

One of the varieties we found out later was D'Arcy Spice

Membrillo made with quinces from East Hertford Street

Together with Tom, Silvia and the girls we set off to pick the St John's apples and the quinces from the tree that were next to it. We picked enough to hand out crates of these lovely eating apples. The quinces I kept for my self to try out how to make quince jelly and membrillo

How to keep the children entertained with apples

After a great hour picking apples in St Edmund's College, I dropped a carrier bag off at my son who has just started his first week as a primary school teacher. When they were little they always got involved in apple pressing, baking and craft activities, a tradition my children still love even now they are in their twenties.

So this day, I not only gave him the apples but also the apple peeler that for years had entertained loads of small children (and their parents for that matter)

Is lesson was a great success. . A Miracle has occurred, They now ALL love apples.
It shows that investing in a few lovely tools makes the whole harvesting experience magical.

Pears in Pemberton Place

When I met Kate some months ago I was also introduced to Debbie her neighbour.
They have comice and conference pears as well as a fantastic Cooking apple.

After the call from Kate, I went to see her armed with pickers and baskets to help her elderly neighbour with the harvest. Fruit was distributed to the local church, the owners children and some for me.
I picked many of the and turned them into some delicious apple juice.

Pears were stored for a week and were juicy treats in the following few weeks.

Tip from the Postman

The other day, there was a knock on the door from the Postman, he told me he enjoyed the apples that I have been leaving out on the Abundance table. He wondered if they were the apples from East Hereford street? I was not aware there was a tree that was not being picked, so the next day I had a reccy.
There it was beautiful eaters and a quince.

Not quite ready yet, we have to be patient