food

Ok so it was cold on sunday..... Just right to get out in the garden and pull the last of the cauliflowers. These were really only baby cauli's and were about 2" across but were very sweet. I also got to pull up the leaves and soas not to waste anything where possible I cut the stalks out and shredded the green leaves of the cauli plants and blanched a couple of caulinders full. I froze these in freezer bags and in total got about 2 pounds of greens before the pain in my back and arms got to be to unbearable. The remaining leaves and stalks went next door to my neighbour for his rabbits to eat. The leaves I had blanched are now ready to add body to stocks and soups, also as the cabbage type element in bubble and squeek and indeed as greens for the dinner plate.

The upshot of this is that the ground is now clear and ready for my wife ot make some deep beds this weekend as i really need to get my garlic and shallots into the ground. I know they should be planted on the shortest day ( 21st of December) and lifted on the longest day of June 21st but if i can get them in next week then all the better.

I'm off next week also to get my chickens for the christmas shenanigans. I buy Cob ross chickens reared by a bloke called David Knipe who farms in the lythe valley in cumbria. Oh man if you love chicken then find out which farmers market he is attending and go see the chicken man !!