Glanbrydan’s Weblog

Our 3 venue weekend is taking up so much time. Llandovery farmers market with Crickhowell walking festival on Saturday and  Llangyndir farmers market on Sunday. We’ve had to buy more insulated transportation boxes and another extra big saucepan to get us through as well as some new trays for the stall. We are in for an early night!

We have prepared; chopping, cutting, whizzing and goodness knows what until we have no desire to see the kitchen again - until  tomorrow maybe :-)

Having let the laptop battery run down to nothing it went quietly to sleep in the kitchen as it has many times before. Tonight though it decided it does have a mind of it’s own and wouldn’t respond to my requests. I restarted it and then I shut it down, as you do when anything goes wrong. I went and read a chapter of my book whilst glancing at the computer from time to time as it was still trying to shut down.

Eventually it went and started itself back up again to recover – my they are clever now. Having regained conciseness a little message popped up on the screen explaining it had shut down unexpectedly. I smiled (or maybe it was a grimace) , yes I know it did.

Now it’s as happy as ever. Do you think it was just making a point? T-W-O might ask if it’s female………..

I always intend to make a seed planting calender so I can better remember whatever I managed to grow or what conditions have affected the growing season. Last year I could have written ‘washed out disaster’ for most of it . I did make a tentative start in my on-line calender but life took over then I forgot to write up germination times, then progress and then I just forgot. I want to add it to the blog this year to encourage me to keep going.

So to kick off this weekends planting is as follows.

Planted Saturday 21st Feb

Living in the green house are;

40 x broadbeans ’ Witkiem Manita’  in cell trays . From Johnsons seeds

40 x peas ‘ Early Meteor’ in cell trays. From Unwins

Living on the bedroom windowsill are;

I packet of aubergine ‘Moneymaker’ , seeds in a seed tray. From Unwins

peppers ‘ Tequila Capsicum annuum’3 x 3 inch pots with 3 seeds to a pot. From www.reallycoolseeds.co.uk

peppers ‘Sweet California Wonder3 x 3 inch pots with 3 seeds to a pot. Mr Fothergills

chili peppers ‘ NuMex Joe E. Parker Capsicum annuum’ 6 x 3 inch pots with 3 seeds to a pot. From www.reallycoolseeds.co.uk

I have relied on Aubergine cast off plants in years gone by from friends or family so I am a  first timer from seed. I’ve never purchased from really cool seeds before either so I’m interested to see how the peppers progress, they were at the Abergaveny food festival last year boasting a stall full of great plants groaning with chili peppers and packets of seeds.

Normally I try to fine mist spray the compost once the seeds have gone in. This year I thoroughly soaked the soil, popped the seeds, beans, peas on top and then gave them a dry covering. I’m hopefull this will boost their chances of germinating. The spray will be fished out from the back of the under sink cupboard soon.

T-W-Os new clock

I am not house proud mad but I have noticed that over the last few weeks the house has become a bit of a grimy space to live in. The kitchen does not suffer this fate as over and above everything else it gets cleaned through. As the lovely sunshine made it way through our windows I looked around our living room – cobwebs everywhere. The uneven walls, ceiling and carpet has now been thoroughly vacuumed and all the sides dusted. The settee has had a bit of a wash as well.

The smaller front room/dining/work room has also had a once over. Sadly it all needs painting but this can wait for the extension to be built now. I moved outside cleaning through the chicken house and the dog run. Everybody scattered animals and T-W-O alike, I think I’m best avoided in this frame of mind.

Still so much needs doing but at least as I sit down this evening in our front room the only thing left to clean is the carpet which needs a wash  (and a patch of grey wall that’s smokey dust covered).

Tomorrow I am determined to tackle the bathroom and give all my shoes and boots a good polish!

Crocus Chorus

Having dashed out this morning to stock up on anchovy sauce for our pork pies we found ourselves delighting over the wonders on the shelves in Waitrose at Abergaveny. Not a short trip but we now have a few bottles so shouldn’t find ourselves ‘out’ of this again. We sauntered back via Crickhowell enjoying lunch in the old courthouse cafe, a good look around Webbs which I can best describe as a cooking and household sort of shop followed by a quick munch around Nicholls the old fashioned department store. I was proud of myself, I came away with the clothes and handbag I went in with. No new additions!

The garden centre was our last destination where I stocked up on some seed potato and a few bags of compost. We almost added a white lop eared bunny to the basket – so cute! Common sense prevailed (just) and I really didn’t do an impersonation of the bunny ear washing actions at the till as I tried to explain to T-W-O just how cute the white rabbit was. Oh yes I did!

Later in the afternoon I enjoyed a spell by the greenhouse planting up the pepper seeds, broad beans & peas. The chickens ran to meet me in expectation of dinner, even Donald duck joined them. The sun hung high above me as the birds danced around the sky . To my right I could hear the repetitive croaks of a frog in the still water.

When we started to walk the dogs the sun had dipped to collide with the horizon throwing a pinkie orange shadow over the wintry trees making them glow in the burnt colours of Autumn. When we returned home the sun had disappeared and the stark Winter had returned to the landscape.

Can you spot the bird enjoying some early pollen yesterday in the garden

Some weeks ago I was to test plant some early peas, beans and aubergines but having the old wrist in a cast curtailed that sort of behaviour. Now the cast is off and the hand is back in action I will make a start this weekend. The chili pepper seeds are now late in being planted but I think after the cold snap this may have been fortuitous.

My plan of intent is to start with a tray a week of broad beans and peas. Put the aubergine seeds into 3 inch pots, a few per pot to try the thinning out method, again a pot a week whilst I modular plant the parsnips and carrots so I don’t disturb the roots when transplanting. I have a couple of old wooden fruit boxes I intend to fill with compost and then start a few rocket seeds in  – lets see what I end up with on Sunday.

For the first time I am going to use the compost that is ready as my potting compost. I may also buy a bag of compost as insurance and plant 50/50. Last year I mixed my compost together with the shop bought version to bulk it all out but I am so pleased with last years compost I am going to risk using it on it’s own.

I have decided not to use toilet roll holders after comments last year that they may contain some anti fungicide that prohibits root growth – all too much risk when you pour your heart into the crop. I will however continue with old tyre cases as a means of lifting the roots off our heavy clay despite warnings that these too may have something nasty in them.

One of the other pressing jobs is to site my new veg beds. I hope at least to start to clear the soil and mark out where I want the sleepers to be laid and the paths to be made.

miniature Iris - sticking their tongues out

I am now making my second batch of chicken soup. OK, I did say it was a bit of a palaver but I think I’ve cracked it.

Make some good stock.

We bought ourselves a giant chicken from the Brecon market, far too much for just us so we decided to make more meals out of it. The chicken was cut in 2 and half of it roasted. It may sound a waste but we ate the meat in chicken sandwiches, very yummy.

We saved the carcass which was added to the uncooked carcass that had been stripped of meat. The uncooked breast will make one dish and the smaller meat from the thighs and legs will make chicken fajitas. http://glanbrydan.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/the-last-of-the-chicken-for-tea-chicken-fajitas/

Put a bit of olive oil in your pan and heat it up to a low/medium heat . Cut up 1 or 2 onions into quarters with the skin still on and place in a big saucepan along with a few sticks of roughly cut celery , a peeled roughly chopped parsnip, a couple of roughly chopped garlic cloves, 10 ish peppercorns, half a teaspoon of salt and all the chicken bones.

Give it all a good stir and let it cook for a few minutes without allowing it to burn. Add about 3 litres of water or enough to cover the bones (push them down into the water a bit if you need to), a teaspoon of dried thyme , a couple of bay leaves , a chicken stock cube and then bring to a simmer, put the lid on the pan. Allow it to cook gently for 3 hours checking it every now and then to see if it needs a little more water.

You can also add carrot, parsley, courgette, a bit of tomato among other things. It’s worth experimenting a few times to see what you like. You may have things ‘at risk’ of going over so it’s a good way to use things up.

Take the pan and put it to cool a bit somewhere out the way. Once it’s cooled to a heat you can handle the meat strain it in batches into a couple of bowls or another saucepan. Put the meat and veg to one side to be sorted out in a few minutes.

Return the liquid to a cleaned stock pot or pan and allow to simmer very gently uncovered for about 30 minutes. The liquid should reduce and help to develop the flavour. If it is too weak now you will need to add another chicken stock cube or a couple of teaspoons of veg stock powder.

Now sort out your chicken and veg. Carefully remove and meat bits that you can add back into your soup being sure to get the bones out – some bones can be very sharp! Discard the carcass then either throw away the veg or feed them to hungry dogs with a bit of dog food - again be sure there are no bones left for your dogs to choke on.

Now you can take enough stock for your soup I use about 1.5 litres for 4 people as a starter or as a nice lunch for 2, any leftovers can be kept for gravy for a day or two in the fridge or frozen for later use. Once the stock has cooled keep it in the fridge, after a few hours or a night in the fridge the fat will have risen to the surface and can be removed. The rest will set to a light jelly.

The soup bit

When you are ready to make your soup take

a little butter  – about 25 gms

an onion, peeled and chopped

a carrot, peeled and chopped

2 sticks of celery, washed and sliced

optional ingredient  – about 100/200 gms mushrooms

optional ingredient  – sweetcorn – a small tin, drained or a fresh ear stripped of the corn. It becpmes sweetcorn and chicken soup with this in.

about 75ml double cream

4 tb of dry sherry or a small glass of white wine.

more salt and pepper to taste

Heat a pan with a little butter in until it has melted and add the onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms/sweetcorn if using. Let them cook gently for a few minutes giving them a swirl every now and then to stop them sticking. Add the alcohol, turn up the heat so it boils for about 30 seconds. Add the stock back in and cook for 30 minutes.

Tip in the cream and heat up to simmering. Taste it and adjust the seasoning. It should now be ready to serve with fresh crusty bread and butter or croutons made from toasting slices of french stick and then grilling a bit of cheese on top of them before serving great if like us you cannot eat a complete french stick in one day.

Poor T-W-O having his age published for anyone to see but as from Wednesdayhe can get his bus pass, free dental check ups, free eye tests as well as a Winter fuel allowance. I have explained that the fuel allowance isn’t for red wine but he is resolute that red wine will warm him up.

To celebrate this occasion we organised a surprise party for him, a barn dance with family and friends. The music was a two piece ensemble; a violin and an accordion (electronic squeeze box) who were excellent.

They called dances and the brave ones took to the floor; I think it proves we wouldn’t do well in dance competitions but it didn’t matter. To hear some of the laughter from people as they tried to get the steps right.

Everyone from 2 to 72 ate, drank and partied.  We supplied, chili, chicken pieces and the usual buffet food while we asked our party goers to bring along their own tipple. Aura (good friend) cooked an enormous pot of chili. Lisa (middle daughter) along with her husband Iain and his parents cooked chicken, as well as partifying the room – our local village hall with balloons,banners, flags and some pretty terrifying pictures of the man I’m married to.

 This was followed by a few words from me, a few words from Lisa (middle daughter) and quite a few words from T-W-O. We presented him with a clock from some of us and a days steam train driving from the children.  we moved onto the cake – pictured here- and made by my Mum. The dancing carried on a while before the party came to a close.

The Sunday morning we went to the hall to tidy up after ourselves then a stream of visiters arrived. This carried on until after lunch time. We missed our lunch as everyone who came to see us had been in B & B so were full from a proper Welsh breakfast. Most of them did manage a few crumbs of cake with their tea or coffee. To make up for it we tucked into doorstep egg and bacon sandwiches at dinner time.

As well as all this we attended the Brecon Market on Saturday with our boxes of pies and pasties brimming over. Having been moved to our new spot they discovered that the electric sockets couldn’t support all the traders there so we went back in the corner. I think our competiton had nothing to complain about either as we watched her plates of food dwindle to nothing. We too did very well selling just about everything, the few pies we came with were handed out on the Sunday to our guests as they left. I hope they enjoyed them as much as we enjoyed seeing them all?

We have had a special party this weekend. T -W-O has a naught on his year. The family has been, friends have been and now I can talk about the

?0 party that we had for him……….. but now I must go to bed.

We have a farmers market at Brecon this Saturday, having heard from the market organiser today we are being moved again. Being moved shouldn’t be a big thing but people expect to find you in the same old corner or they get disoriented.  We have been occupying a spot by the door for a couple of months and our only competition has complained we are too close to them.

Never mind, but it’s odd how many times in life I have thought you left that sort of thing behind you at school only to find the lessons in life learnt there are more valuable than many of the other lessons I attended. When you grow up they call it office politics a different name for the same behaviour. No wonder the world has never managed to live in peace.

I do appreciate though that she had a nice slot in a market with little competition and along we come, new ideas, new products and people are curious so they try our home bakes. Maybe I would have my nose put out of joint if I were her.