I never used to get such a charge out of the small things in life as I do today.
A few examples in the last few days:
The dog and I were waiting anxiously for the first frost. A very important event in this outport with masses of wild rose bushes everywhere. That’s when rose bushes give us their final gift of the year: rosehips, which are ready for the picking after the first frost.
Well it happened. And they were. And I made them into fabulous rose hip jam right away. Much to the astonishment of the locals. They pick all the wild berries here, bakeapples (or cloudberries), cranberries, blueberries and partridge berries. But have never heard of doing anything with rosehips until the CFA (Come From Away - i.e. moi) started picking them.
I don’t have to tell you about the taste surely? Incredible. And a surefire cure for a cold or the flu.
And then, as I’d treated myself to a really good thermometer for setting point of jellies and jams, being this fresh reincarnation, The Outport Woman, I decided to make my own organic yoghurt. Temperature is of the utmost importance with homemade yoghurt at all stages of the making. And by gum. Guess what. This yogurt is to D-I-E for. And I’d say about 1/5 of the price of organic yoghurt in the shops.
And finally, as I’d promised myself and family I’d use every inch of wool stash (you have absolutely NO idea) before I bought more wool, I started knitting a cardigan for myself. I’ve always wanted a hand-knitted cardie and have knitted so many for others over the years. My turn. With every colour of the rainbow on it. You’ll see The Outport Woman coming, let me tell ya.
It’s all the perfect antidote to Iran, climate change, the Great Depression and Peak Oil.
I love rosehip tea, but I've read that to make it from rosehips you'd need zillions of them to make a tiny amount of tea. Rosehip jam sounds wonderful, that's something I've never even seen in the shops!
ReplyDeleteI can smell the Rosehips from here!
ReplyDeleteThe sign of a great knitter lovely even tension right the way through. Wonderful cheerful colours I hope we have a fashion show the the garment is completed.
Wow you will be bright, I'll be able to see you in your cardie from here! ;-)
ReplyDeleteSo what's your recipe for rosehip jam?
I used to have a little electric yogurt maker, basically a tray that kept the yogurt jars at the perfect temp till it set, but don't know what happened to it. It sure is a lot cheaper to make it yourself!
So will you be changing your Comment monicker to TOW? Better'n CFA, although my experience here (NS) is you never get to shed that one, gotta be born here of parents born here!
Your post made my mouth water WWW. I began to think of how I used to love home made crab apple jelly.
ReplyDeleteNick:
ReplyDeleteI imagine the reason you don't see it is, it's very picky to make, a lot of handling but worth it. As to the tea, I've drunk it but I'm afraid coffee has made a completely fallen woman out of me. that my Krups.
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thanks for the compliments, GM, coming from a needler such as yourself, I'm honoured indeed. Yes I will have an airing of the ocmpleted effort.
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Yes Annie, I'll be the beacon for you NS-ers alright!!
ReplyDeleteThe recipe is very easy but a little labour intensive. I use a big plastic tub (an old salt beef one) full of hips. Washed thoroughly, topped and tailed.
then boiled for 30 minutes with 2 cups water, 4 cups sugar and chopped ginger if you like it. Then the whole mess is put through a fine sieve, I use an aluminum hammer (used only on food) to squeeze/press it through. the resultant mess is then boiled until 220c setpoint and bottled in sterilized jars. This yeilds only about 4 smallish jars. A labour of love.
I picked up mine for $3 at Goodwill, one of the best buys evah. Worth shopping the second hand stores for.
Actually, because I'm Irish to begin with there has been a huge acceptance of me here. (I come from the 'Homeland' according to them so my place on hierarchy is a given.
I'm settling into the new moniker. I made gorgeous blueberry muffins tonight.....no stopping me.
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Oh Hull I still have some of my crab apple jams since last year, I must make more this year.
ReplyDeletethat and homemade muffins or scones, hop over any time!
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It sounds so good. And I see those pretty orange-red rose hips all along the roads here on the island. Perhaps I'll try to make some. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great cardigan that will be!
I'll be lazy and buy rose hip jam at the store, which my son didn't believe was possible and he thought I was pulling a fast one on him. He didn't think rose hips were edible. He was such an American! The kid should have been raised in Europe, he would have been more worldly about his food stuffs.
ReplyDeleteOoooh! You're a real, live Earth Mother, WWW! I feel so inadequate - I can't do any of those wonderful things - except knit, and haven't done that for many years.
ReplyDeleteI recall, as a child, collecting small amounts of rose hips and letting them dry and harden, then threading them to made necklace or bracelet. :-)
Anne:
ReplyDeletethank you, let me know how your jam turns out!
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Oh I don't think so T. But I'm rather enjoying my new entity as Outport Woman, it is fun. I'm glad I have the time.
ReplyDeleteYour jewellery sounds lovely, BTW.
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a first for me about hearing about the rosehips. i`ll pass this along for sure.
ReplyDeleteTM:
ReplyDeleteOh no! There'll be no rosehips left for me next year?
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