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LITTLE PLUM CAKES

12 Sunday Apr 2026

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I would like to share an historical recipe with you from The Cookbook of Ann Smith, Reading for Little Plum Cakes. First published in Renaissance England in 1698, the recipe can also be found on lostkitchenscrolls.org.

https://lostkitchenscrolls.org/cookbook-of-ann-smith-reading-manuscript-bib224531-25-to-make-little-plumb-cakes

The original recipe manuscript (lostkitchenscrolls.org)

The original recipe reads: “Take ½ lb. of fine Sugar dry finley þarched, then mingle it with your flower & take ½ lb. of sweet Butter & putt it into a Deep Diſh & 2 or 3 spoonfulls of Roſe Water working it with your hands take ½ lb. of Currants & take 6 yoalks & 6 whites of egges Beat them well togather with Roſe water then putt them togather with a Blade or 2 of mace findly beaten, then work it in your Flower & sugar by a little att a Time when you have Done almost then putt in it ½ lb of Currants waſhed & dried & putt hott upon Coals, then putt them in your Butter’d pañns & sett them in a quick oven. This Quantity will make 22 Cakes.”

Like most late 17th-century recipes, the recipe is written as a narrative rather than with specific measurements or listed instructions. Ingredients are given in pounds and handfuls and any descriptions or guides are aimed at the experienced cook or housekeeper. Spelling was haphazard: ‘Finley þarched’ (for ‘finely parched’), ‘yoalks’ (yolks), ‘pañns’ (pans), and the archaic long ‘ſ’ (used in ‘Roſe Water’) pepper the text. Quantities were geared towards large households rather than a single family and with a practical order of ingredients – wet and dry ingredients blended in stages for a rich, sticky batter. The recipe was created at a time when domestic baking was starting to spread among English gentlewomen, blending tradition with the new luxuries of sugar and spice. However, ‘plum cakes’ were more like dense little sponge cakes containing either raisins and currants (‘plum’ being the general term for dried fruit) rather than the airier fruit cakes of today, but they were a signature of celebration and hospitality reflected in both the increasing availability and extravagance of imported sugar and dried fruit as well as the fashion for delicately-flavoured, perfumed pastries containing aromatics such as rosewater. Ann Smith herself was probably a woman of substance who had access to the ingredients and the staff or leisure time to produce these and other confections.

What sort of equipment might the late 17th century baker had access to? The answer is, perhaps slightly more sophisticated versions of the traditional, as well as their hands as the main tool for creaming and kneading! A large earthenware or wooden mixing bowl would be used to work the butter by hand; finely woven sieves for sifting flour and sugar; and a small whisk or fork for beating eggs. Currants were washed and dried, perhaps by an open fire and mace would be ground in a mortar and pestle. The cakes themselves would be baked in small round pans similar to modern-day tart or muffin tins, all buttered well to prevent sticking. The coals on the hearth provided ‘quick oven’, which would have been managed either in a brick oven or before a free-standing range, ash and embers carefully distributed for an even heat.

As I have mentioned, a more modern-day version of the original recipe is published on lostkitchenscrolls.org, and I referred to this when making these cakes but halved the quantities (using 115 g of butter and dry ingredients rather than 225 g) and spooned the batter in cupcake cases rather than just spooning it directly into muffin tin. However, I have further simplified the ingredients and method below for ease of use.

Metric Ingredients (makes approx. 22 or up to 12 if quantity is halved)

  • 225 g (1/2 lb) caster sugar, plus extra for dusting if liked
  • 225 g (1/2 lb) plain (all-purpose) white wheat flour
  • 225 g (1/2 lb) softened, unsalted butter
  • 2-3 tablespoons rosewater
  • 6 large eggs
  • A pinch (1/4 tsp) ground mace or nutmeg
  • 225 g (1/2 lb) dried currants, raisins or sultanas

Method

  • In a bowl, mix the sugar with the plain white wheat flour.
  • In a separate bowl, soften the unsalted butter and work it well with your hands or a wooden spoon along with 2-3 tbsp rosewater until creamy and fragrant.
  • In another bowl, beat 6 large eggs together with a splash more rosewater.
  • Add a pinch of ground mace or nutmeg (a scant 1/4 tsp)
  • Combine the egg mixture with the butter, then gradually fold in the flour and sugar mixture, step by step, until you have a loose batter.
  • Towards the end of the whole mixing process, add the dried fruit and mix through.
  • Leave the finished batter on the counter a short time to warm at room temperature, then spoon it directly into well-buttered muffin or tart tins, or alternatively line the tins with cupcake cases and spoon the batter into those.
  • Tap the filled tins gently on the surface to level everything out.
  • Bake the little cakes in a moderately hot oven (approx. 200oC/400oF/Gas Mark 6) until golden and fragrant.
  • Leave the little plum cakes in their tins to cool for a few minutes before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Bon appetit!

Catherine

What do you think of this recipe? Please let me know below!

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THREE SISTERS STEW

05 Monday Jan 2026

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I am interested in Native American history and culture and came across a recipe online for Three Sisters Stew by Lois Ellen Frank, PhD, published on 1 November 2022 and reviewed by Dietician Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD. This recipe is part of their showcase: There’s a Movement to Revitalize Indigenous Cuisines and Knowledge – Here’s why that Matters:-

https://www.eatingwell.com

Three Sisters Stew is an easy recipe to prepare, and is nutritious and delicious. It is naturally diabetes-friendly, nut-free, dairy-free, soy-free, heart-healthy, vegan, vegetarian, egg-free and gluten-free!

The Three Sisters are corn, beans and squash, which for centuries have been planted together by indigenous peoples and which have spiritual significance for some. In New Mexico, the saying a healthy environment means a healthy culture is a popular one, rooted in the belief that this leads to healthy people. The way these vegetables grow together on the land reinforces this idea that all things are connected. The beans climb the cornstalks, the squash leaves give shade to the soil thereby limiting weed growth, and the beans set nitrogen into the soil and help to stabilize the cornstalks.

There are 23 unique Native American communities in New Mexico, including nineteen Pueblos, three Apache tribes (Fort Sill Apache Tribe, the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the Mescalero Apache Tribe) and the Navajo Nation. Each tribe is a Sovereign Nation with its own government, customs, tradition and culture. The 19 Pueblos comprise: Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Nambe, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris, Pojoaque, Sandia, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Taos, Tesuque, Zuni and Zia.

Although this can be served in all seasons, Three Sisters Stew is an ideal winter dish and develops further if you have enough for leftovers the next day (if you can resist seconds!), and quantities can be doubled or even trebled for many or greedy appetites! I am sharing the recipe as it is which serves 8 people, but feel free to halve quantities if feeding four or fewer people. Types of squash include zucchini, pumpkin, butternut, Crown Prince and winter squash, according to seasonality.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil (I used olive oil – I do not usually use seed oils)
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped (you could use a large red or white onion if preferred)
  • 1 tbsp chopped garlic (3 or 4 fat cloves)
  • 1 large green bell pepper, chopped (red, orange or yellow if preferred)
  • 3 medium zucchini, diced (I used a home-grown winter squash)
  • 1 (28 oz) can no-salt-added whole peeled or diced tomatoes. (I used one 400g can tomatoes).
  • 2 (15 oz) cans no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed.
  • 2 (15 oz) cans no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed.
  • 11/2 cups corn kernels (I used corn cobs)
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 tbsp dried New Mexico red chili pepper or other mild chili pepper (I used a smaller amount of hot chili pepper)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried Sonoran or Mexican oregano
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • Flat-leaf parsley and/or microgreens for garnish.

Step 1

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to caramelize which will take 4-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 30 seconds. Add the bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Add the zucchini or other squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice. Remember that if using whole tomatoes to break them up as you add them. Cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture returns to a simmer.

Step 2

Stir in the kidney beans and pinto beans, the corn and the water, and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the chili powder, salt, herbs and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is a little reduced.

Step 3

Serve topped with parsley and/or microgreens, if desired.

Cook’s notes

  1. For a heartier meal why not serve with some steamed brown rice or sweet potato, or perhaps some cornbread.
  2. I added a pinch of sumac for an extra vibe.
  3. Feel free to use whatever herbs you have available. I often use fresh garden herbs in recipes.
  4. For a thicker stew, add a little coconut milk or ground almonds to taste.

Enjoy!

You can watch a step-by-step guide on my YouTube channel:-

Happy cooking!

Catherine

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GERMAN APPLE CAKE

05 Wednesday Feb 2025

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Apfelkuchen Recipe

Apple cake is very popular in Germany and this is my variation on the celebrity chef Rick Stein’s classic Apfelkuchen from his “Long Weekends” series.

This yummy cake has a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. Use any dessert apples you wish except for Bramleys as they ‘fall’ and do not keep their shape once cooked.

I have swapped out plain flour for gluten-free plain flour, golden granulated sugar for vanilla sugar and butter for Flora buttery spread.

The Apfelkuchen is nut-free, pregnancy-friendly and vegetarian making it suitable for most diets. It stays lovely and moist for a few days if kept in an airtight container – but it is so yummy it probably won’t last that long!

Ingredients

  • 2 dessert apples peeled, cored and sliced into thin wedges
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 125g (41/2 oz) Flora buttery, plus extra for greasing
  • 140g/5 oz vanilla caster sugar
  • 3 free-range eggs, at room temperature, beaten
  • 225g/8 oz plain gluten-free flour
  • 2 level tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 5 tbsp full-fat milk

For the topping

  • 11/2 tbsp demerara sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/340F/Gas 3. Butter and line a 23cm/9″ round cake tin with greaseproof baking paper.
  2. Coat the apple wedges in the lemon juice and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar, using an electric hand mixer, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix well. Slowly add the milk, mixing well after each addition until you have a smooth batter.
  4. Transfer the cake batter to the cake tin. Arrange the apple slices, flat-side down, on the batter in a spiral pattern. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
  5. For the topping, mix together the demerara sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter.
  6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean and the top is golden-brown. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the cake and turn it out of the tin onto a wire rack to cool completely (if wished).
  7. Serve this cake warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

Chef’s tips

If you prefer to use butter in this recipe, make sure it is softened before combining it with the sugar.

This cake is delicious warm or cold and makes a wonderful pudding. You can also serve it with vanilla custard, creme fraiche, clotted cream or even a dollop of vanilla ice cream (my personal favourite with warm puddings), whatever floats your boat!

Here is my step-by-step video on YouTube:-

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MORNING ROLLS

06 Monday Jan 2025

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Oven-fresh Morning Rolls on a cooling rack

Some years ago now, my mother, following one of her trips to Scotland (my parents were both of Scottish heritage) gifted me a Hale Pocket Guide “Traditional Scottish Cookery” by Margaret Fairlie which cost just 60 pence – this was in 1995.

This recipe for morning rolls is taken from that pocket book, which was first published way back in 1973. I have always enjoyed cooking up Scottish cuisine as it is part and parcel of my culture and bloodline. My father’s porridge was always the best (though my mum’s was a close second) and I taught my husband how to make it the traditional Scottish way, too.

Like my mother and her mother before me, I am very fond of baking and this Morning Roll recipe is so simple, made with only a few ingredients. If you cannot find fresh yeast then substitute with 12 g dried yeast or thereabouts – round up to 2 x 7 g sachets if you wish.

Very popular, particularly in Glasgow and Fife, Morning Rolls are well-fired, airy and chewy with a crispy crust. They are sold everywhere in petrol stations, bakeries, newsagents and corner shops and are best eaten on the day they are made before they go rock hard! In Fife, a Cabin Biscuit or Roll is a local variant. Originating in Buckhaven, a town on the Firth of Forth on the east coast of Fife, sugar was added to prolong the shelf life of the roll as they were often enjoyed by crews aboard fishing boats and have distinctive prick marks on top. However, the Morning Roll or Cabin Biscuit is a bread roll and not a biscuit in either the British or American sense.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (450 g) plain flour
  • 1 level tsp salt
  • 2 oz (50 g) lard
  • 1 oz (25 g) fresh yeast (or up to 2 x 7 g sachets dried fast action yeast)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 pt (300 ml) milk

Method

Sift the flour into a warm bowl with the salt and then lightly rub in the lard until fully combined.

In a separate bowl, cream the yeast and sugar until liquid (or if using yeast sachets, just mix them together). Strain (or tip) into flour mixture and make into a soft dough with the milk.

Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise. This will take about an hour.

Knead lightly, then form into 3 inch (7.5 cm) rounds. Brush lightly with milk taking care not to let the milk run down the sides of the rolls, and dust with flour – you can do this with the help of a sieve or even a tea strainer!

Place on a greased and floured tin and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Bake in a moderately hot oven (400oF/ 200oC/Gas Mark 6) for 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn rolls out on to a wire rack and allow to cool before serving.

CHEF’S TIPS:

Morning rolls are also delicious served still slightly warm with lashings of butter.

A delicious accompaniment to a bowl of homemade soup or filled with smoked Ayrshire bacon, square sausage or perhaps some good cheese and pickle.

Suitable for home freezing. As soon as the rolls have cooled, wrap individually in cling film, place in a freezer bag and transfer to the freezer. They are so tasty though they may not get that far!

Bon appetit!

Catherine

BREAD ROLLS WITH POPPY SEEDS

09 Wednesday Oct 2024

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My husband Dan and I don’t eat burgers very often but when we do, I like to sandwich the patties between homemade bread rolls with all the fix-ins for us to enjoy. Dan certainly prefers my bread over shop-bought and often asks: “is it from Evans bakery?” to which I often reply: “yes” – although I am honest if the bread is shop-bought.

Below is my go-to recipe for bread rolls, enough for four people. If you have more mouths to feed, double the quantities. The recipe can be adapted to suit your own tastes, so for example you could knead in mixed seeds, chopped olives or sundried tomatoes or even herbs to the dough before its second proving.

Ingredients (makes 4)

  • 250g Strong bread flour (I like French flour)
  • 1 tsp fast action dried yeast
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 165 ml Lukewarm water

Method

1. Put bread flour in a large bowl. On one side put the dried yeast and on the other the salt (the two should not come into contact with one another initially or you will kill off the yeast). Stir together well with your fingers or the blade of a dessert knife.

2. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in about half the lukewarm water. Mix together with your fingers or the dessert knife. Gradually add more water  – you may not need all the water* until you can bring the dough together into a pliable ball. You do not want it to be sticky but if you overdo the water, just gradually mix in a little more flour.

3. Place the dough ball on a clean, floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth. Form it into a ball and place it in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place or with an ambient temperature for at least an hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Don’t panic if it takes longer than an hour. Just leave it to prove as long as you need to until the dough has doubled in size.

4. Sprinkle some more flour on a clean surface and ‘knock back’ the dough by kneading again. If I am using spelt flour which is lower in gluten,  I tend to only knead it gently to ensure a good second rise. At this point, weigh the dough and divide the weight into four balls. I always weigh each of these balls too, to make sure they are even in size.

5. Roll each ball between floured hands and flatten slightly. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover with a clean tea towel or oiled plastic wrap and leave for at least 20 minutes or until doubled in size. This may take up to 40 minutes to an hour.

6. Meanwhile, set your oven temperature to 230C/210C fan/450F/Gas 8. Brush the top of each roll with a little beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

7. Bake rolls in the oven for 25-30 minutes** until golden brown and hollow-sounding when you tap on the base.

8. Leave on a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

COOK’S NOTES

* The ideal flour-to-water ratio for bread is 65 ml water to 100 g bread flour though ratios can vary and can be between 58 ml and 62 ml depending on the type of flour/grain you use.

For 8 rolls, double the ingredient quantities. So, for example, 500 g flour instead of 250 g, 2 tsp yeast, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 325 ml water.

If you do not want to bake the rolls immediately, you can place them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours and then set aside to allow the dough to relax at room temperature and finish rising, before baking as normal. I find this method is also more tummy-kind.

** Remember oven temperatures vary and your bread rolls may take a little longer or shorter to bake so keep an eye on them in the last few minutes.

For floured rolls, omit the egg wash and poppy seeds and instead dust the tops with a little flour before baking. You can also vary the seed toppings with sesame seeds or multigrain seeds.

For savoury doughs, why not add some chopped olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped rosemary or mixed seeds at Step 4?!

For a baguette or small loaf of bread knock back at Step 4 and then form into your baguette or loaf and leave to prove for 40 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size. Bake at Steps 6 and 7 for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding.

For a large loaf, double quantities and bake as above for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding.

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COCONUT & LEMON FAIRY CAKES

26 Friday Jul 2024

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Fairy cakes, little treats baked in paper cases and decorated perhaps with buttercream or glace icing and sugar flowers or sprinkles, are perfect for either a tea party or children’s party. They are really very similar to cupcakes, though a bit smaller and perfect for little fingers and a not-too-sinful indulgence for grown-ups too!

This is my go-to recipe for fairy cakes and if the kids are bored on a cold and rainy day, it is an activity they can be involved in too and which I can guarantee they will enjoy. These cakes are made with one whole free-range egg, a few tablespoons of whole milk and a few basic store-cupboard ingredients. I am using gluten-free all-purpose flour and a teaspoon of baking powder but please swap for regular all-purpose flour.

Ingredients (makes 8):-

For the cakes

  • 85 g soft butter or baking spread
  • 85 g caster sugar
  • 1 large free-range egg, beaten
  • 65 g gluten-free all purpose flour
  • 20 g coconut flour (or dessicated coconut finely whizzed in the food processor)
  • 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3-4 tbsp whole milk
  • Grated zest of one unwaxed lemon

For the glace icing

  • Icing (powdered) sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Water
  • Sprinkles or other sugar decorations of your choice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Place the butter or baking spread and caster sugar in a large bowl and either beat with an electric whisk or cream with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.

3. Add a little of the beaten egg to the mixture and beat until fully combined. Sift in some of the flours and baking powder and beat, to prevent any curdling. Repeat with the remainder of the beaten egg and the flours and baking powder until everything is well-combined.

4. Carefully add 3-4 tablespoons of whole milk and stir into the cake batter slowly with a spatula until fully combined.

5. Add the grated lemon zest and the vanilla extract, carefully stirring until fully combined.

6. Place 8 standard cupcake cases in a 12-hole cupcake tin and divide the cake batter equally between them. Shake the tin to level out and place in the centre of the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes (oven temperatures vary). The cakes are ready when a skewer inserted comes out clean.

7. Remove the cakes from the oven and set the tin aside for 10 minutes or so and then remove the cakes from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Meanwhile, make the glace icing. Sieve some icing sugar into a bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice and a few drops of filtered water and mix well with a tablespoon to a smooth consistency. You want it so you can trace a figure of eight in the bowl of icing when you hold the spoon above it. If the icing is too thick, add a little more liquid a few drops at a time. If the icing is too thick, add a little more sieved icing sugar.

9. Carefully spoon some icing sugar over the top of each fairy cake and decorate with sprinkles or other sugar decoration of your choice, such as sugared flowers, candied lemon zest, jelly beans or other dainty candies.

10. Place the fairy cakes on a platter and allow to the icing to set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so and then either transfer to the tea table or a cake tin to store if they are not being eaten immediately.

Cook’s notes:

1. If you like your cakes a little more generous, use a 6-hole cake tin and larger cupcake cases and divide the mixture between them. Allow up to 20 minutes baking time accordingly.

2. If your oven temperature tends to be hotter, try baking the cakes at 170C/150C fan/325F/Gas Mark 3 or whatever you find usually works for you.

3. These cakes can also be decorated with lemon or vanilla buttercream frosting and sugar decorations, or alternatively do them as old-fashioned butterfly cakes.

Bon appetit!

Catherine

Approved Food

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Every year in the UK, some 7 million tonnes of food and drink is thrown away, much of which is past their ‘best before’ date but would still be perfectly good to eat.

Approved Food is an online store in the UK owned by Morris & Son (Leeds) Ltd of Dodworth, South Yorkshire. With the tag line Waste less, save more, they specialise in food, drinks and a wide range of other items that are often near or past their ‘best before’ (not ‘use by’) dates by offering them at discounted prices, though they also sell many other products – for example, toiletries, pet food and household items – that are still comfortably in date but at lower prices than one might find at the supermarket. Nothing sold is past its USE BY date and they currently receive 4.66/5 in reviews.

Approved Food have over 2,000 products, many at huge discounts, including Big Brands such as Kellogg’s, Walkers and Hotel Chocolat; basic store cupboard essentials; and supermarket and department store products encompassing anything from food and alcoholic beverages to toiletries, gifts and more. Their regular customers typically save around £60 on their monthly shop compared to high street prices – a saving of over £700 per year. Stock on their website updates every day – all at heavily discounted prices – and there are often special daily promotions too.

Approved Food were featured on BBC Food Fighters in July 2011 and you can watch it here:-

In lab tests all food samples were clean and safe to eat.

However, I first discovered Approved Food in May 2023 following an article in the moneysavingexpert Martin Lewis weekly newsletter, which was offering free delivery on a first online order. The cheapest delivery is £3 via DX and upgrades are available at an extra cost, but £3 is still a saving, right?!

I personally have saved £321.63 since placing my first order based on one order every 4-6 weeks on average and tend to mostly buy cat food (which always has a USE BY between 2024 and 2026) and perhaps a few store cupboard top-ups. The website is quick and fairly easy to navigate and the daily bargains are prominently flagged up, meaning you can easily add any to your basket there right away. If a product is limited to a certain quantity per customer or if a very few of an item are remaining, then it will always say so. Products you add to your basket are reserved for an hour and if you take a while browsing and exceed this time frame then there may be items that you need to remove before proceeding to checkout, and it is at this stage when the site may occasionally become a little glitchy; with a little patience I have never had a problem proceeding to payment but generally these days my strategy is to have in my mind what I need before logging in, to avoid disappointment. Online orders received before 2pm will normally be delivered within 2-3 days by DX delivery and you will need to be at home to receive your order as they are not left at your address unattended. You will be notified by DX the day before your delivery and will be texted a two-hour slot the following morning, giving you the opportunity to change the day of your delivery if necessary to one more convenient for you.

Downsides? As with any site, a few minor niggles. Most notably, when browsing the categories or running a search the majority of items that usually first appear are crisps and candy and other sugar-laden things, and you may need to do some scrolling, but please don’t be discouraged by this. A little patience will be worth the effort and your wallet will thank you too!

We can all do more and I would score them 8/10.

Happy eating!

Catherine

BUDGET MEALS/EMERGENCY FOOD/PREPPING THE PANTRY

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As the global cost of living continues to bite, many of us find it increasingly important to have a supply of ingredients in our store cupboards that we can fall back on in case of any crisis, personal or more widespread, that may affect our ability to nourish and sustain ourselves and our loved ones (including our animals).

What would we do, for example, were there to be a sudden water contamination and our mains supply was unsuitable to drink? Are we concerned about the fluoridation of our water supply and its link to cognitive decline? What would we do were the water authority to turn off the supply in order to undertake essential mains works? This particular situation arose in our area in December last year and again in early 2023. When water is essential to our existence, I believe that having supplies of bottled water for everyday use and for emergencies is vitally important, as is maintaining a water butt or any other container outside to collect rainwater, if space allows.

If someone is suddenly coming to dinner and you don’t have an opportunity to hurry to the shops, or there is a more widespread supply problem for example, or the price of everything continues to escalate, how do you keep warm and put food on the table?

All these are questions we need to be thinking about and asking ourselves how we would deal with them and, indeed, anticipating them, not with the intention of inviting negativity to manifest itself but, in a more positive way, of being prepared for any eventuality and being in a position to provide for yourself and your household and loved ones, and perhaps being able to support your local community in some way, too, in the event of a crisis.

This is where budgeting, scratch cooking and emergency food prepping come into their own. There is a growing band of YouTubers such as myself focusing more on this area. As you may know, I have been sharing budget meals and self-sufficiency for a long while now, whether it be an inexpensive, wholesome lunch or supper, a 1940s-inspired recipe, or more recently fruit and vegetable gardening and the store cupboard. Here is one of my recent videos:-

Ocado Food Haul/Prepping the Pantry

Responding to the needs of my subscribers, I intend to focus more on budget meals and pantry prepping in the future as well as other areas of self-sustainability, such as gardening, foraging/free food, home-preserving, sprouting and fermenting, etc. One of my subscribers has asked me to feature more 1940s recipes as they feel that what we are all going through is akin to wartime living, as is the need to be ever more canny with what money we have, let alone put any aside for a rainy day which of course most of us aspire to.

Of course I will share some of my activities with you all, as well as my other content and trust that you might find it interesting and entertaining. However, if you don’t, no worries; it is a free world in my world!

I have started to participate in a couple of open collaborations with GrandmaSandy and others on YouTube, as well as seeking out other content creators who share my ideas and values and lifestyle choices. Grandma Sandy came across my @catevanscuisine channel some months ago and gave me a much-needed shout-out for which I am most grateful, and I am now paying it forward and giving a shout-out to a few of the wonderful YouTubers I subscribe to:-

https://www.youtube.com/@GrandmaSandy – Budget Meals, Pantry Prepping, Fairy Garden, Tea Tuesdays crafting and more

https://www.youtube.com/@Shortievaughn – “Crazy but not dangerous” (fab recipes and banter)

https://www.youtube.com/@thetomatolady – Grow Joyfully Homestead

https://www.youtube.com/@the.rural.tribeuk – rural living and veggie gardening

These are just a few of the wonderful people making a difference. Why not check them out?!

See you again soon and a big thanks to all my subscribers for your support.

Catherine

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The September Garden

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September started well with beautiful warm, sunny weather right into the second week of the month, right up until we left for a week’s holiday in south-west Scotland. In fact, the temperatures were high enough that it was like being in the South of France, albeit more humid.

The herbs were doing well being in part sun-part shade, and I treated us to a new pot of garden mint from our local garden centre and which Dan potted up into a larger, terracotta pot so it has plenty of room to grow. My late mother had several mint bushes at the end of her garden and one of my favourite culinary memories growing up is of her homemade mint sauce to accompany Sunday lunch or cheap, slow cooked cuts of lamb. These days I use fresh mint leaves in a wide variety of ways including steeped in hot water as a healthful drink, raw in salads and chopped finely in vegetarian Indian and Middle Eastern recipes; mint is delicious in falafels or mixed with yoghurt as a dressing or dip.

August’s land cress had been eaten, thus I sowed some spinach seeds in the trough of my growing table at the start of the month. The seedlings are now starting to thrive as long as we manage to keep the slugs and snails off them.

The nasturtiums were only leafing but since we returned from holiday at the weekend more new flowers have appeared and more plants have started growing in the troughs. It is now the last week of September and Dan has already enjoyed some nasturtium leaves and petals in his lunchtime salads, though growth is now slowing as we head into early autumn.

2023 has been an excellent year for salad leaves in particular and we have enjoyed a wide variety of homegrown in salads and sandwiches. As well as the spinach seeds, I also sowed some more lettuce seeds in the troughs wherever there were gaps. As long as I start to cover them with fleece for frost protection they should keep growing all winter.

The kale is also flourishing and we have had some of it chopped and lightly steamed with leftovers left to ‘fester’ for a couple of days in the refrigerator with cooked potatoes and then fried as bubble and squeak, which we enjoy with fried free range eggs for breakfast or a simple supper.

Before we went on holiday, Dan picked all the beetroot and weed potatoes and we stored them in a cool place in hessian sacks. To be honest, the beetroot didn’t last long; some we ate roasted or steamed and I sliced and pickled some of the steamed ones for later on in the year, and others I gave to my piano teacher, Jake, and our cleaner friend Val, along with kale, beetroot tops (which are a good substitute for spinach and Swiss chard in recipes), potatoes and rhubarb.

In fact, since we have returned from Scotland the rhubarb has once again expanded and we may need to cut it back yet again. Our gardener Lorraine will move the rose bush in November, and will plant the one currently in a plant pot on my great-uncle’s grave. My lovely cousin Agnes gave me a fragrant yellow rose bush for my special birthday called “Golden Memories”, and Dan is going to plant it in the new designated area. All our rose bushes are traditional, sweet-smelling ones and should make a breathtaking display next summer. Recently, we have enjoyed several vases from the rose bushes that are already well-established. We may still also ask Lorraine to split the rhubarb crowns and plant ones elsewhere, perhaps at the end of the garden near the greenhouse, or perhaps we will give away what we cannot easily accommodate.

The quinces are swelling nicely on the tree, though some of the fruits have grown rotten on the bough. However, I have picked a few lovely ones already, as well as a couple of windfalls and we should have another excellent crop this year. I usually enjoy making jars of membrillo (traditional Spanish quince paste), which goes well with cheese, nut roasts and charcuterie. Sometimes I add quince pulp just as it is to a homemade nut roast and this year I am going to try adding some to marrow chutney.

The courgettes are still thriving and most have not been devoured by garden ‘pests’; in the space of a week one of the courgettes had become an enormous vegetable marrow! I cut a small piece off the marrow last night to put in our suppertime vegetable pasta bake and Dan’s salad lunch box for today, and most of it is still sitting enormously in our ‘fridge; later in the week, most of it will become chutney.

The tomatoes have cropped incredibly well this year, with no sign of the tomato blight that spoiled last year’s crop. Before our holiday, I made a tasty tomato sauce for pasta and other dishes and we had most of that last night in the pasta bake and I am having the rest to accompany my beanburger this evening, as Dan is staying overnight at his mum’s due to his work schedule. After supper, I will be making a big batch of tomato chutney, which I prepared earlier this afternoon and takes about an hour to cook on the stove.

Needless to say, we are looking forward to more tasty pickings as the month draws to a close and it will be interesting to see what October brings.

Catherine (26 Sep 2023)

Our Garden Project: July and August

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Early July started as June had ended with changeable weather. I was staying in Richmond-upon-Thames with my mother-in-law “MIL”, Verna, thus Dan was entirely in charge of the garden until he arrived to pick me up on the afternoon of 4th July. During my absence he had picked a few black raspberries that had ripened and some redcurrants, though the second batch of redcurrants we picked later on in July was a smaller one and sadly the whitecurrants amounted to nothing.

The Heritage beetroot were coming along well though their leaves were looking a little tatty but nothing a little plant food wouldn’t cure and they recovered well. By now in mid-August we have already picked a few; a few golden beet, a candy stripe, a white and a red one. A couple of them had been munched a little by slugs or snails but washed and with those bites chopped out they have been perfectly delicious chopped and lightly pickled in a drizzle of home-produced raw apple cider vinegar or grated salads, with their spinach-like leaves washed and shredded, added to salads and curries.

The “weed” potatoes have continued to flourish and earlier in July, Dan harvested some and we enjoyed these at mealtimes. Funnily enough, it looks like more of these plants are cropping up in other places in that bed so we may have a good potato harvest entirely by fluke!

The beans and peas produced a very small though delicious crop, despite being trampled on by our two adopted cats, Arthur and Miss Robyn Guinevere. Our senior boy, Merlin, appears to be more enlightened and leaves our crops alone though enjoys a wander or two in the garden and a rest on the patio most days; he was always more of a house cat in his nature.

Later in June of our elderly neighbours who lives further along the street had given us a courgette plant and some tomato plants and they had bedded in really well. We are growing a wide variety of tomatoes this year, from plum to salad varieties to cherry tomatoes perfect in salads or for snacking. Once I had returned from Richmond I stopped by for a chat and she invited me in to see her garden. She has a big birthday later this year yet shows no sign of discarding her green fingers, and her ability to be sustainable and grow all she needs is impressive. She has some really inventive methods of growing fruit and vegetables and not one area of her garden is an empty space but is well-utilized. I believe gardening helps to keep her positive and young at heart and she even has carefully thought-out areas for her beloved cat Monty to enjoy.

The blueberry plant is still young and there will be no crop this year, but it is thriving among the pine needles. The plant produced a single berry which we shared. It was full of flavour and we look forward to more next year.

The second crop of radishes failed miserably. They were flourishing in July and despite being thinned out, most failed to swell or develop. Perhaps it was the soil or the weather, or perhaps it was a combination of both. One reason for radishes not developing can be if the soil is too compact or if it contains excess nitrogen. The soil was loose enough and as we have usually grown radishes in the ground in previous years, we can only assume too much nitrogen was present in the soil and in future when growing radishes in containers we will add some mulch, which should help to rectify the problem.

The butterhead lettuces were a tasty success and were picked for salads during the course of July but the second batch of seeds did not produce the hoped-for rocket as we had a rainy spell towards the end of the month and the slugs and snails stripped the rocket and the underwhelming radishes bare, so all was lost, and the nasturtiums were looking glum though a few of those have rallied round after another plant feed.

Our Garden in July

The rhubarb has cropped amazingly well this year. We have picked rhubarb every month since May right up to about a week ago. Last year the crowns were new and it was important to leave them to settle in, so this year has been their first harvest. I have chopped a lot of the July and August rhubarb into 1″-2″ chunks and stored in a big bag in the freezer for future recipes, including pies and chutneys, so we can still enjoy it once summer is long gone.

We picked some of the Heritage beetroot and all of the speciality globe carrots, all of which were delicious. The beetroot crop comprises a wide variety of types; we have white, red, golden and candy stripe. They have been pickled, grated in salads and roasted as part of a main dish with other vegetables. It is now early September and I have cooked the last of what we had picked so it’s time to pull up some more! Stored correctly or preserved and pickled they should last us through the winter months.

In August I sowed some cut-and-grow salad leaves and some land cress. The land cress is all used up now, as are some of the fast-growing salad leaves, so I have sown some more leaves along with some spinach to keep us going for the next few weeks, as we eat salad for lunch every day.

Whilst making the August video we came across some wilded blackberries nestled among our redcurrant and black raspberry canes, a sheer delight! We love blackberries made into jam or in pies and crumbles, and they are also a good accompaniment to game, which Dan enjoys. We also enjoy them just as they are, freshly picked.

If you do not already grow any of your own produce, I hope our garden project has been inspiring you to give homegrown a try.The main thing to note is that home produce is of course at is freshest, can just be picked whenever it is needed and is way more flavourful than shop bought, which tends to be picked before it is ripe and is often stored or treated with chemicals or preservatives for a longer shelf life and therefore isn’t as fresh as homegrown or, say, foraged or purchased from a local farm shop for example. If you don’t object to finding pests in leaves and salad greens or having to wash the soil off your root vegetables, and if you have any amount of space to grow your own – even if it’s just a window box or a few plant pots or other containers – then I think homegrown is definitely the way to go.

Happy gardening!

C