Followed by the good luck of finding chicken manure for just $5 for a hefty sack - ( my compost sighs with relief- now we can get some heat cranked up in there) - then as luck would have it we stumbled across one of the gardens. This is my favourite image from that place.
Not one of the art works - but far more evocative and meaningful at least to me of anything we saw. We slunk in and out of that garden and right there and then ditched the rest of the tour.
I can tell you are wondering about the apricots in the first picture? What? you couldn't care less about them? Let me show you a thing or two you can do with apricots.
you can take a photo of them...
..or you can turn them into jam and chutney. The jam I am especially pleased with because you make it in the microwave. To be truthful I do not really use my microwave for cooking ,but I was inspired to try this recipe because it promised - full flavour and no possibility of burning the jam. The recipe was as good as its word. The jam is great and so so easy.
Here is the recipe.
4cups of cooked apricots. ( put raw and stoned apricots in microwave and cook for20 mins) Then add 4 cups of sugar to apricot pulp. Cook 20 mins in microwave. Bottle in clean jars and cover when cool. The chutney recipe is another gem from the Stewart Island cook book. I was especially happy making it because this week we are going to Stewart Island for one week before Rosie goes back to Wellington. I am looking forward to it. After that it will be back to sending parcels.
Yours in anticipation
Marg
That jam just looks perfect. And the bowser is also very appealing but in a completely different way of course.
ReplyDeleteI am SO jealous about your Stewart Island trip, have a wonderful time. I can't wait to see the first of the 2010 parcels!
Nice posts recently Marg. Yes, I've been reading, but a bit slow on typing. I certainly have been admiring your photos too.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a good trip to Stewart Island.
Cheers
Donald
Hi Marg
ReplyDeleteNice looking jam, that's pretty smug domestic of you. I know that feeling of winging it only to realise that directions don't respond well to wing treatment. You can spend hours looking for something only a block away. good on you though, that wingatui topiary is art in itself.
we will have a great time.I have got laryngitis and some other throat thing going on and the doctor has said to avoid talking for a while. The kids are thrilled. They tell me it will stop me talking to strangers and embarrassing them while we are away. They also do not believe i can keep quiet. They will see!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you need some garlic tincture. You want? Apricot jam looks delicious. It's one jam that always burns unless you stir it the whole time so m/wave sounds like a brilliant idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great find the chick poo at such a snip. Pleased to hear that 'big picture minus the detail' thing is a family failing. I thought it was just old age and have got us all sorts of places at the wrong time because I didn't take note of it, or we've driven somewhere to visit someone only to find nobody has brought the address. Have a great holiday. You might want to make a few flash cards or brush up a few mimes along the lines of 'can someone get me coffee?', 'anyone seen my book/magazine/newspaper?', 'who's cooking tea tonight?', 'what is for tea tonight?'.