Crabapples In My Kitchen May 2015
It’s that time of the month, when Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial hosts the blogging roundup that checks out what we are loving in our kitchens. Here’s some of what is happening in my kitchen this month – do head over to Celia’s blog for the full list of participants.
It is autumn with a vengeance here in the Adelaide Hills. The weather is wild and totally unpredictable – it was sunny and 24C on the weekend, then 13C and cold and blustery on Monday on my hill – but the colours are stupendous. My trees have lost most of their leaves and the last to go is the crabapple. It is still covered in big clusters of this cheery red, but very tart, fruit.
Crabapple jelly – In My Kitchen May 2015
Crabapples are not great for eating, but are full of pectin, so I recently tried my hand at crabapple jelly for the very first time and I now have some pretty jars of this glistening, ruby jelly in my kitchen. The jelly is very simple to make and tastes delicious – sweetly tart – but can be a little time consuming. To get two and a half jars I had to wash, stem and halve well over a kilo of the tiny fruit. The recipe I used stated that they also had to be cored, but that grew tiresome very quickly and, given that the cooked fruit is strained for hours, totally unnecessary. I’ll be making this again next year, but may rope in some helpers next time.
Tea cosy – In My Kitchen May 2015
Now that my kitchen is a little chillier my teapot needs some comfort to help keep the life-sustaining brew warm. A hunt through my tea-towel draw resulted in the disappointing news that my old, ugly, but very functional, tea cosy was MIA. Rather than buy one that someone else had knitted I dug out my needles, hunted down a pattern online and, a day later, had produced this piece of gorgeousness of which I’m quite proud. It seems that knitting tea cosies, like tea itself, might be a little addictive. I’ve finished a second one and am now on my third, which will be a birthday gift for a friend. I know this is all a wee bit ‘old-lady’, but I’m hooked – if you’re looking for a new tea cosy, I’m your girl!
Lesser Beasts – In My Kitchen May 2015
Last week I shared with you some new cookbooks which caught my eye (and are perfect for Mother’s Day gifts), but this week I received my copy of Lesser Beasts in the post. I have been waiting to get my hands on this book since I heard about it, and pre-ordered it, back in March. Apparently reading about the history of livestock is seen by some as incredibly dull (or so my daughters told me when I was caught reading Cattle: An Informal Social History), but I never tire of learning about where my food comes from. Because of their ability to forage and turn waste into meat, pigs have been taken for granted by humans for centuries and Mark Essig’s book Lesser Beasts looks at our history with this intelligent and tasty beast.
Beerenberg Dessert Sauces – In My Kitchen May 2015
Speaking of tasty, I also received this delicious an beautifully presented surprise in the post from an Adelaide Hills favourite, Beerenberg. This is a selection from their new range of dessert sauces, using their own fruit and top quality ingredients. Forget about your standard ice cream toppings – these sauces are seriously gourmet. So far I haven’t been able to go past simply plunging a spoon into the jar when no-one is looking – yes, they are really that good!
View from my kitchen window – In My Kitchen May 2015
Finally, in my kitchen is this glimpse of autumn from my kitchen window. It might be cold and damp, but this time of the year is always lovely.
[mc4wp_form id="16750"]Related posts
Leave Single-Use Plastics Behind – With the Help of the Fleurieu Milk Company
Must look out for that book – right up my alley:-)
That crab apple jelly is a gorgeous colour.
I enjoy reading the In My Kitchen posts . It’s fun to read what everybody is doing. The crab apple jelly looks very good.
It’s starting to look wintery outside, Amanda. My mother made crab apple jelly when I was young but our crab apples were about the size of a 50cent piece. I love that stuff.
Regardless what your daughter said, I’d enjoy that book too.
What a nice collection of things Amanda. I have a weakness for tea cosies!
Amanda, the colors in your tea cosy, crab apple jelly, and fall foliage are breathtakingly beautiful. Thanks for this picturesque peek of autumn in your kitchen! (And hear, hear for the humble hog!) I love reading about stuff like that, too. 🙂
Your crab apple crop looks amazing !!
That crab apple jelly looks divine Amanda! What do you add it to? I love your tea cosy too. While it’s not cold here yet, the mornings are a little chilly (for Brisbane anyway) and like you I’ve found my tea going cold quickly. I might have to invest in one 🙂
Oh Autumn. I’m sure it is very beautiful around the Adelaide Hills. Love that tea cosy. I bought some needles and wool to do just that and never got round to it. Good on you, clever girl!
Your crabapple jelly is a gorgeous colour. And that tea cosy is lovely. I may have to have a go at making one, it certainly is quite wintery here in NZ and the teapot is not as warm and toasty as I’d like.
Winter is definitely here to stay now Amanda! Love crabapples and wonder if they can be incorporated in a warm winter soup?
Thanks for this month’s IMK view too!
The photo of the crab apples on the tree is gorgeous and reminds me a bit of a holly bush at Christmas time (in Europe of course). I’m amazed at your patience for making crabapple jelly – I can’t imagine having to prepare so many minute fruit. But the end result is gorgeous. I love to do something with my hands as well so I think it’s wonderful that you’re making tea cosies xx
What a beautiful looking jelly, love the bright ruby red color. The dessert sauces also sound quite tasty.
I love the tea cosie and now I want to make one. I am just learning how to crochet so I am a wee bit away from that. The crabapple jelly looks amazing – it’s like someone poured liquid rubies into a jar.
Dessert sauces and that tea cosy…. its adorable. 🙂 I am thinking of gifting the BFF with a teapot and cosy for her bday, it would be super special if I knit the cosy, excellent idea. You’ve got some swell things happening in your world this month.
How cool is the weather at the moment – Winter is definitely on its way! But Autumn is so beautiful with all the lovely colours isn’t it! Congratulations on your crabapple jelly & tea cosies, they’re such beautiful colours 🙂
i am in love with that tea cosy! how lovely. lovely looking jelly too.
So pretty! I love your crabapple jelly – we still have heaps in the pantry, but I’d forgotten how beautiful they are! I should pull them out and use them as a decorative feature! Your tea cosy is a thing of great beauty – I want to reach out through the screen and stroke it. Love the colours! 🙂
Did I miss this post, Amanda? Apologies. This is such a pretty post… and I love that crab apple jelly. Brings back memories of me eating them in the 1960s with a pommie girlfriend! xx