Dotty About...Foraging!

Well folks, it's coming to that time of year when most of natures booty is up for grabs.

This week, I give you ....

The blackberry

(source: Guardian)

The wind-fallen apples

and lavender

(source: Telegraph)

You have yourself some extremely simple to make, extremely yummy to eat, Lavender Jelly, courtesy of Jams & Chutneys by Thane Prince, a great book, particularly for a preserving novice like myself (thank you so much Kate and Sal for lending it to me!).:

• 1.8kg Cooking Apples (cored and diced - don't bother peeling, but if they are wind-falls then cut any nasties out)
• A few blackberries (for colour)
• 2 tbsp lavender flowers (always make sure you use edible lavender - English lavender is fine)

Pop these three items in a pan with 1.7 litres of water and simmer away for 40 mins til the apples are nice and soft

Strain the pulp in a jelly bag and allow to drip for a couple of hours (don't be tempted to squeeze any juice out as it will give you cloudy jelly!)

Measure the resulting juice and weigh out the sugar accordingly:

• 450g white granulated sugar for each 600ml juice

Put the juice sugar and another tablespoon of lavender flowers back into the preserving pan

Bring slowly to the boil and cook on a full rolling boil for 5 mins

Ensure you skim off any nasty scum that rises to the surface.

Test for a set (I recommend the wrinkle method - pop a plate in the freezer then take a teaspoon of the liquid and put it onto the plate. Leave for a few mins to set, and push it with your finger. If it wrinkles, then it's ready, if it doesn't, then it probably needs a bit longer on the hob).

Once the jelly has reached setting point, pour into hot, sterilized jars, seal and label.

Good for using as sweet and savoury jelly, and particularly excellent on a warm, freshly baked scone!

Dotty About...Lemons at weddings

Some top tips for using lemons at weddings:

1) Lemon cakes for favours - Here's something I am going to try next week, from a brilliant design blog - A Subtle Revelry



2) Lemons as decorations



3) Real lemonade for a refreshing reception drink - What about this for a recipe: Limoncello & Mint Lemonade (found on Noble Pig)

Add some sugar to some freshly squeezed lemon in a pyrex or sturdy vessel. Pour over a little hot water to melt the sugar into the lemon juice. When cool, add some mint leaves and squish with a pestle.

Pour into a glamorous glass (preferably with a lemon-sugared rim). Add some soda water, then top up with limoncello. Pop a slice of lemon on the rim of the glass (and a pink straw depending on the glass)and Taa Daa, a very classy, clever and eye-catching wedding cocktail!

Dotty About...Lemons

My top 5 lemon recipe's

1) My Grandma's Magic Lemon Pudding - It really is magic. You make it as a sponge mix, then the egg white separates itself, forming a meringue base with a sponge top. It is so yummy and easy to make that it's my number 1!




2) Lemon Meringue Cake - Nigella Lawson - Oh My Gosh! if you haven't tried it yet, well, quite frankly you haven't lived. A particular favourite of a certain lemon cake lover round here who shall be known as Mr M.



3) Lemon Drizzle Cake - Annie Bell - unfortunately, Annie Bell doesn't seem to have her own website but she has done a series of these fantastic books. This particular book, Gorgeous Cakes, is one of my favourites, and contains the recipe for the infamous battenburg that was the surprise top tier on my sister's wedding cake.



4) Lemon & Poppy Seed Cupcakes - My own mixed up recipe using the Lemon cupcake recipe from the Annie Bell book but adding poppy seeds. They happen to be my favourite seeds, and I am partial to the old lemon and poppy seed muffins in Costa Coffee, although they don't seem to want to reveal their recipe to me...how rude! ;-) - I feel a Dotty About... coming on! That will be challenging.




5) Lemon Curd - well we couldn't have a top 10 lemon recipe list without admitting the old faithful. My taste buds go banana's when they see a beautiful golden sponge cake with lemon curd and cream ooozing out the sides...Mmmmm (sorry, a Nigella moment, forgive me!) Here is a lovely simple recipe for lemon curd from Nigel Slater as featured in the Guardian.