Wednesday

Morning, peoples all.  How are you all this fine, sunny Wednesday morning?  

Yesterday was a really pleasant day.  I made red onion chutney in Thermione because I'd finished off the last lot and also because the red onions I bought only last week were 'going'.  

First thing I did was pop into town on the bus (just missing one bus so had to wait for the next) and now I have my patterns at home.  

I was also delighted to realise that the lovely spice stall in the market hasn't closed at all.  Why couldn't I find it last time?  Weird.  Anyway, it is alive and kicking with a short queue of people waiting to be served (always a good sign) and I got some dried black beans - I've been looking for them for ages.  Maybe I will soak them and slow cook them today.

I got going with the  sewing after a slow start.  Brought the machine down, couldn't remember got to thread it, couldn't find the bobbin case . . . etc, etc.  However, I got started in the end and I have to say those Sewing Bee people have my deepest admiration for the way the get stuff done so very quickly.  It took me AGES but I now know that as long as I cut the neck a bit lower (not that low, but it's quite a high round neck on the pattern) I will not need a back opening; it will go over my head fine and, as it is a high and loose waist, that's not an issue.

Size twelve is slightly too big but size ten will be slightly too small - I can adjust (I hope).

My sewing machine is Mum's old one.  In its time, it was top range and Mum even went on a weekend course to learn how to use it.  Now it must be coming up for forty years old so is very retro and rather rattly.  I think I might go back into Franklins later this week or next week, with the manual, and ask if they could give it a good service.  It needs a clean and a re-oiling, for a start, and I don't feel that confident.

And I will take their advice about its future.  I do have another very cheap machine that does the basics fine.  

It's been a while since I inflicted garden photos on you so . . .

I did not intend buying beef tomatoes - you don't get many and they can be very woody inside.  Perhaps it was mis-labelled.

Anyway, I do have one and do you have any ideas as to what I can do with enormous tomatoes like that?
I need to Google.

Not the best photo but they are coming on well, my runner beans, and I am now planning them into my meals.  So delicious.

It won't be long before I am freezing some, I hope.

Autumn fruiting raspberries?  Well, it is August so not so far away now.   This cane is so heavily laden, it was drooping onto the ground so I've caned it up now. 

I think I had better start cutting the chillies.  Another think I need to find a recipe for - sweet chilli sauce, anyone?
Actually, they freeze whole perfectly well and I'm going to try dehydrating some to make chilli flakes - I use chilli flakes quite a lot.

On to today and this is quite late because I've been busy in the kitchen.

The chutney looked just a bit too runny after cooling and sitting overnight so I gave it another boil up and it's much better now.

After looking pensively at my two bowls of tomatoes (every time I go to the shed, I come in with another handful), I set Thermione to making a tomato and red pepper sauce that will do really well for pasta or for pizza or as part of a bbq sauce or in a curry or - oh, it's just very useful.
Now there's six portions in pots, cooling before going into the freezer.

And I have made corned beef patties for my lunch.

It's going to be another gentle sewing day until mid afternoon when I pack up, sort myself out and then I'm off the the big city with a coachload to see Evita.  I think it's at the London Palladium.  It is a restaging and, I gather, different to the original but that's OK, it will be good anyway because it is West End and it is a Rice/Lloyd Webber creation.  The music will be the same and it's the music I want most.

So tomorrow might be a bit late too - it depends how tired I am and how well I sleep after something like that.

Right, well, it is nearly ten and I am still in my bed things so it's time to go up, bath, get dressed and start the day, hadn't I?
Hope you are all well and have nice things planned.
Take care and all the best.  xx