225g / 8 oz caster sugar 150 g / 5 oz butter 120 g / 4.5 oz plain flour 75 g / 3 oz self raising flour 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder 3 eggs 75 g / 3 oz soured cream 75 g /3 oz walnuts
Icing: 150 g / 5 oz icing sugar 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder 50 g / 2 oz walnuts
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C/gas mark 4.
Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix together, adding the eggs until creamy. Fold in the flours and add the soured cream, coffee (disolved in 1 tablespoon of warm water) and walnuts.
Grease and line the base and sides of a 900 g /2 lb loaf tin. Spoon the cake mixture into the tin and level the surface. Bake for approximately 55 minutes until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
To decorate, mix together the icing sugar and coffee powder into a bowl. Add a tablespoon of water to make a thick icing and spread over the cake loaf. Decorate with walnuts.
Tomato soup is by far the worlds most popular soup variety. And why wouldn't it be, it's flavoursome and hearty, but did you know that it is also ever so simple to make? What's more, the cost of half a dozen tins of Heinz 'cream of tomato' soup can turn out to be anything from £ 3.60 up to £ 9.64 depending where you shop. Using fresh vegetables from scratch, the equivalent amount of home made soup will cost around £ 3.00, but more importantly, by cooking it yourself you will know that the ingredients in your soup are free or any additives or preservatives, and the taste will be far superior.
This recipe for tomato soup is easy to prepare, simple to cook and uses basic and readily available produce. In fact, there is no reason why you can't grow the majority of these ingredients in the garden. In which case the cost for this soup will almost be negligible.
Take this advice - if you have ever thought about making home made soup then try this recipe first. It won't let you down.
Ingredients
2lb/900 grams of tomatoes - peeled and quartered ( or 2 tins of chopped tomatoes) 1 1/2 lb / 700 grams of butternut squash - cubed 2 x Medium Onions - chopped 1 x carrot - roughly sliced 1 x leek - sliced 1/2 a small swede - cubed 3/4 pint of chicken or vegetable stock 1 large nob of butter or 1 tsp of olive oil
3 tbsp of fresh basil leaves 2 tbsp of fresh parsley leaves 2 tsp of fresh thyme leaves salt and freshly ground pepper according to taste
It is all about the freshness of ingredients - especially the herbs - in order to get the best flavour. Once the ingredients have been prepared, place the butternut squash, onions, carrot, leek, swede and nob of butter - or olive oil - into a suitably sized pan and allow the vegetables to gently cook in their own juices for 5 minutes or so.
Next, add the tomatoes, stock and herbs - keep back some of the basil leaves for presentation - and bring to the boil. Keep a close eye on it though because as soon as it boils drop the heat back down and allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and puree the mix until it is silky smooth using either a hand-held blender or in a liquidiser. See, the whole process is delightfully simple.
Season the soup bit by bit with salt and pepper until it tastes just right.
Finally, for creamy tomato soup stir in 150ml of double cream or creme fraiche. Re-heat gently for 3-4 minutes and serve very hot in warm soup bowls garnishing with a couple of basil leaves.
Hopefully, you would have successfully grown your cauliflowers in your allotment and now you are ready to enjoy the fruits of your labour. I cant resist making cauliflower cheese with mine.
Ingredients Cauliflower 1 pint/ 450 ml milk 2 tablespoons flour 50 g / 2 oz butter 50 g / 2 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
Method Bring a pan of water to the boil. Cut the cauliflower into small pieces and add to the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside in an oven dish.
Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 6
Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour to the butter and stir for several minutes until they have mixed thoroughly to make a 'rue'. Slowly add the milk, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens. Add the cheese and stir.
Cover the cauliflower with the sauce and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Trees and shrubs are both woody plants that are very similar in appearance. Shrubs differ from trees as they do not have a single, clear trunk but instead are multi stemmed near ground level. Shrubs are usually shorter than trees, below 6 metres, with stems of a diameter less than 8 cm diameter. They have several perennial stems that may be erect or may lay close to the ground, although none of these stems will be dominant.
There is a degree of overlap between shrubs and other plant groups. A number of plants can become shrubs or trees depending on growing conditions. Lilac (Syringa) is a shrub that grows on a single stem. Some trees such as Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) have multiple trunks. Shrubs may grow to the size of a small tree. Cornus mas, the cornelian cherry, is described as a shrub although it grows to 8 metres. Malus sargentii, the sargent crab apple, grows to 4 metres but is considered a tree.
Shrubs can be deciduous or evergreen, and are generally broad leaved plants with the exception of some small conifers such as juniper. Small low shrubs such as lavender, periwinkle and thymes are only woody at their base and are termed sub-shrubs.
With their fragrant flowers, striking fruits, decorative stems, attractive foliage and architectural habits it is no wonder that shrubs are so popular. Naturally growing in a wide spectrum of habitats, there is a shrub suitable for every soil and aspect.
Some shrubs such as witch hazel (Hamamelis) have stunning autumn colour with leaves turning from yellow through to orange and red. Others have a profusion of small flowers which cover the stems completely (Ceanothus), whilst others have giant blooms (Paeonia). Some shrubs such as holly (Ilex) and Pyracantha bear decorative berries during the winter. Dogwoods (Cornus) display bright winter stems which range from vivid red to bright yellow.
Many shrubs respond well to pruning back to a central frame. They can also be shaped into tight forms through topiary as they have dense foliage and close branches. They can be used as hedges, screens and background plantings. Often they are grown in a shrub border or mixed border among annuals and perennials.
Cauliflowers are considered fussy vegetables to grow. This is because they require arich soil, careful planting, regular water and pest control or else they will fail to produce anything other than tiny button heads.
It took me a while to successfully grow cauliflowers. My first attempt was damaged in the sun and turned yellow, and my next attempt grew small and spindly due to not receiving enough water.
You can choose from summer, autumn and winter cauliflower varieties. Summer varieties can be sown under glass in January ready for transplanting in late march or early autumn and are ready to harvest June/July. Alternatively, plant outdoors in early April and transplant in June for a August/September crop.
Autumn varieties can be sown outdoors between mid April and May, transplanting in June, and are ready to harvest mid September to end November. Winter varieties can be sown outdoors in May, transplanting in late July, and are ready to harvest late February till May.
Bed Preparation
Dig over the bed in autumn/early winter and add plenty of well rotted manure or compost. Allow several months to pass between digging and planting to ensure the soil is well consolidated. In spring add a general purpose fertiliser such as Growmore. Do not fork over the surface of the bed prior to planting but instead just tread down gently and rake.
Sowing cauliflower direct into a seed bed
Sow the seeds very thinly in drills 1.5 cm deep, in rows spaced 15 cm apart. Cover gently with soil and water Seeds will germinate in 7-12 days. Thin the seedlings within the rows to 7 cm apart to prevent then becoming spindly and weak.
When the seedlings have established 5 or 6 leaves they are ready for transplanting. Water well the day before and carefully lift the plants ensuring you retain as much soil around the roots as possible.
Sowing cauliflower into pots
Fill a seed tray with John Innes seed and cutting compost, tapping the tray to settle the compost. Level gently with a flat piece of wood but avoid compacting the soil. Set out the cauliflower seeds individually within the tray, approximately 25 seeds in total. Lightly cover with compost using a sieve. Place the tray in a larger tray holding 2cm of water until the soil is moist and the surface of the compost turns from light to dark brown.
Remove from the water tray and place in a well lit area such as a windowsill or bench in a heated greenhouse. Either cover with glass or place in a propagator until the first seedlings emerge or leave uncovered and water frequently by spraying daily. Do not allow the compost to dry out (or become waterlogged). The seedlings are ready to transplant when they are showing two strong leaves.
Planting
Plant firmly ensuring the seedlings are set at the same level as in the seed bed or pot. Space at 60 cm apart. Water gently.
Maintenance
During the growing season hoe regularly to remove any competing weeds. Water regularly, especially when young, as a shortage of water will mean very small heads develop. You will need to protect the crop from birds so hang a few Cd's or similar around the plot. During the summer protect the cauliflower heads from the sun by covering it with a few bent leaves. During the winter protect the cauliflower heads from the snow in the same way.
When harvesting your cauliflowers cut early in the morning when the heads have dew on them, or midday if frosty weather in the morning. Lift the plants and hang upside down in a shed to keep for up to three weeks.
I can't imagine a summer without eating rhubarb crumble and custard, and to use home grown rhubarb in your recipes makes the dish perfect. Why not grow your own rhubarb in your garden this year? Rhubarb yeilds an average of 5 lb per plant and has a lifespan of 5 years. That equates to alot of crumbles!
Planting Rhubarb requires a well fed soil, a sunny spot and division every five years. Select a spot that is not prone to water logging in the winter. Dig over the bed in autumn and incorporate compost or well rotted farm yard manure. Incorporate a general purpose fertiliser in the early spring prior to planting.
Plant your rhubarb plants in mid February to end of March. Set the bud just below the surface and gently firm the surrounding soil. Your plants require lots of room so space your plants 90 cm apart in both directions. Water gently.
Allow new plants to become established for 12-18 months before pulling.
Maintenance Mulch with compost or well rotted manure in January or February. During the growing season feed the plants with liquid fertiliser during the summer. Keep the plants well watered as rhubarb will suffer in drought.
You can start pulling your sticks from April onwards. Hold the stalk close to the ground and twist upwards. Always leave at least 4 stalks on the plant and do not pick after July.
Watch out for diseases such as crown rot and honey fungus. There is no cure for either so remove infected plants and burn, and do not replant in the affected area. Every five years divide the plants by lifting the mature roots (crowns) and dividing. Cut into pieces bearing one or more buds and replant.
Forcing rhubarb You can force rhubarb to provide an earlier February or March crop. These stalks are thinner and paler other stalks but have the advantage of being sweeter.
In January cover each crown with an upturned bucket or container covered with compost or straw. You can start harvesting the stalks 6 weeks later.
Do not force the same plants the following year but allow to rest for two years.
This creamy chicken dish is simple to make but tastes delicious. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped 1 small leek, chopped 4 rashers Smokey bacon, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 4 chicken breasts, cubed 40g butter 3 tablespoons flour 3/4 pint milk Mushrooms, sliced 2 tablespoons Olive oil Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
Cut the chicken breasts into cubes and fry in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the onion, leek, bacon and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes until softened.
Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour to make a rue. Slowly add the milk, stirring continuously, until a white sauce has been formed. Add the mushrooms, chicken, garlic and onion to the sauce and cook gently for a further 15 minutes.
Nothing can beat the taste of home grown beans as they taste so much better than the ones that you can purchase in the supermarket. The French bean is a good alternative to the popular runner bean.
This bean is a half hardy annual that likes warm conditions and will not tolerate frost. French beans will grow successfully in most soils, with the exception of heavy clays, but avoid growing beans in the same spot as the previous year. Choose a location that is reasonably sunny and sheltered from high winds. In the autumn dig over the bed to a medium tilth and add compost or well rotted farm yard manure, adding lime if the soil is acidic. Two weeks prior to sowing rake over the bed and apply a general purpose fertiliser such as Growmore.
Sow your main crop during May, and sow successively up to the end of June to provide beans up to the end of October. You can sow an earlier crop in April if you sow under the protection of cloches placed over the ground in March. Alternatively, a later crop can be sown in July for autumn picking which will require the protection of cloches from mid September.
Sow the seeds in drills 5 cm deep at 10 cm spacing's, allowing 45 cm between rows. Cover with soil and water gently. Your French beans will germinate within 7-14 days. Protect the seedlings from slugs and regularly remove competing weeds. Your beans will require support to prevent them from toppling over so use pea sticks or short twigs for this purpose. Mulch under the plants in June.
Ensure you water well during dry periods or after flowering to achieve maximum pod development and crop production. Feed the plants with a liquid fertiliser once the pods have been harvested to encourage a second crop.
You can harvest your French beans when the pods snap easily when bent, at approximately 10 cm long. Take care not to rock the plant when removing the pods, holding on to the stem or using a knife. Pick regularly to avoid any pods maturing.
You can dry the beans to produce haricot beans by leaving the pods on the plant until they are yellow, and then hang indoors to dry until brittle. Shell the beans and place to dry on a sheet of paper for several days prior to storing in an air tight container.
