The English Paysanne

 All over the veggie patch little tomato plants have cropped up. A few years ago I was given a couple of tomato plants that produced the small cocktail variety, they were very prolific and produced a lot of tasty tomatoes some of which fell to the ground and seeded themselves, some went into the compost which in turn went back into the ground and with each little seed a plant would grow. I imagine birds and animals helped carry them to (not rabbits though as I dont think they like the tomatoes know their growing). Over the years these tomatoes have changed into tiny ones which pack such a punch they make you mouth feel like its eaten really strong cheese, in small quantities and mixed in with larger toms to make passata they are fine. As you can have too much of little toms and as they grow in the wrong places I have been pulling them missing a few that have grown bush like among the chard and one in amongst the beans. Going from tiny toms I have also managed to grow...

With a glut of eggs fresh pasta, chocolate ice cream and fresh custard have been made, along with a few attempts at trying to make mayonnaise, which I will persevere at and am not to be beaten over a couple of eggs and a dash of oil.  The ducklings are enjoying the outside, the three Pekings are growing at a fast rate. They are so messy and noisy, I've had to place their run away from the house as there driving the dogs, well the dogs barking at hearing the ducklings is driving us mad. I think they are going to be full of character as they get older. Maude and Mabel made a brief appearance outside (after being shooed out of the barn) but again once my back was turned a swift waddle back into the barn there they stayed.  The weathers been mixed with showers and sun, which when out its  a bit hot to be working in the outside. The lavenders in flower now attracting loads of bees, butterflies and moths.  Farmer J's been tidying the hanger ready for this...

The past week has been a mammoth marmalade making one. Here in rural south west France the Seville orange is tricky to track down, I have only found them in the organic shop, so when in town last we put our order in. When asked how many I should of calculated better, I should of noted down how many kilos I used last year, for that was not enough to last through to this. Farmer J likes his marmalade and it goes really well made into an ice cream with chocolate torte, a staple dessert dish on the gites menu and for breakfast should it be required. So as I stood in Bio coop, trying to think how many kilos I needed 5 came to mind, no that might not be enough, 7, yes seven kilos please. Seven kilos of Seville oranges, not the prettiest of oranges and not edible when raw, once cut they do not have that bright orange inside and with quiet a few pips and pith which need to be kept essential for a good set is a lot of oranges. A lot of preparation, done in batches from good...

After watching this weeks episode of The Great British Bake Off I was inspired to make a custard tart. As farmer J and I laughed at the contestants attempts of turning out their tarts we both said at the same time, having a Darby and Joan moment `cor, I use to love a custard tart'. Not wishing to have the same horror of stuck individual tarts I made a big one, pre cooking the pastry hence no soggy  bottom. It turned out pretty rustic after slopping custard over the sides before cooking due to tripping over sous chef, aka Milo (he did do a good job of clearing up spilt custard on floor). The silver fox was a tad harsh in this episode I thought. Saying that the chances of a pie having a soggy pastry bottom (and top in some cases) is pretty high if the pastry and wet filling are cooked at the same time I think, thought the contestants might of worked that one out before hand. Who is to win? Howard's too nice, crying when Ali left, it's a competition!  Frances is concen...