Time to Stop and Stare
16 Aug 2010 1 Comment
Time to Stop & Stare
We have no time to stand and stare?
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep, or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
William Henry Davies 1871 – 1940
Crowded beaches
14 Aug 2010 1 Comment
This is about as busy as it gets up here and that’s busy enough! Actually, there is something really nice about seeing our beaches buzzing with families on holiday. Within a couple of weeks things will be back to normal and we will have our beaches back to ourselves again. I shouldn’t think there have been many on the beach today as we have showers and there is a bit of a chill in that NW breeze.
Busy beach
All of these beaches are within a 10 minute drive from us and were taken last Sunday.
Runner Beans
13 Aug 2010 2 Comments
in Cooking and Eating, In the garden, Ty Guen Tags: new potatoes, runner beans
This year l decided to try and grow my runner beans and sweet peas together. Its with mixed results. The sweet peas are brilliant this year; picking huge bunches everyday, but the runner beans have struggled a bit to get a grip on the poles and, instead, training themselves around the sweet peas. My fault l suppose, as l should have helped them out a bit more.
Anyway, they taste fantastic and l could quite happily eat a whole bowl of them with a big knob of melting butter on top! My spuds have been good this year too and this weekend l will dig the rest up and store them for the Autumn and, hopefully, into the winter.
New additions
09 Aug 2010 2 Comments
in Brittany, Ty Guen Tags: Breton horses, Ty Guen
Heck, where is the time going?
I cannot believe so much time has slipped past since my last entry on here! There is too much to add here all in one go but one of the nicest things to happen here in recent days is one of our local farmers has put his Breton horses in our field to graze for a few weeks along with a 4 month old foal. He is so friendly, it was love at first site and his Mum is so proud of him.
Very warm here at the moment but the evenings feel a little Autumnal. Bring it on. I love Autumn.
The gite is going very well and we have had some really lovely people come to stay with us so far.
Proud Mum
Elderflower Cordial
10 Jun 2010 4 Comments
in Cooking and Eating Tags: citric acid, elderflower cordial
A few people have asked me how l make Elderflower Cordial. It’s easy, really easy.
Elder in flower
First find your tree! Only pick the flowers that are in full bloom on a dry and sunny day. The flowers should look fresh and not past their best and smell of bananas and not cat’s pee. Try to find a tree away from busy main roads.
Elderflower
The Recipe
Tips and suggestions
- Cooks Tips…
- To serve Elderflower Cordial: Dilute the elderflower cordial to taste with fizzy water, and serve over ice with a slice or two of lemon, or a sprig of mint floating on top.
For something a touch more sprightly, add a shot of gin or vodka and a lemon slice, or add it to white wine and sparkling water to make an elderflower spritzer.
Elderflower cordial is also brilliant in recipes such as gooseberry fool, and in vinaigrette – mix with wine vinegar, a touch of mustard, salt, pepper and a light olive oil (surprisingly good with a courgette, lettuce and broad bean salad). You might even try adding it to a marinade for chicken breasts. Try it in sorbets, or ice-creams, or just spooned over scoops of vanilla ice-cream, or use it to sweeten and flavour the fruit for a crumble.
elderflowers soaking
Ingredients
- 20 heads of elderflower
- 1.8kg granulated sugar, or caster sugar
- 1.2 litres water
- 2 unwaxed lemons
- 75g citric acid
1. Shake the elderflowers to expel any lingering insects, and then place in a large bowl.
2. Put the sugar into a pan with the water and bring up to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. While the sugar syrup is heating, pare the zest of the lemons off in wide strips and toss into the bowl with the elderflowers. Slice the lemons, discard the ends, and add the slices to the bowl. Pour over the boiling syrup, and then stir in the citric acid. Cover with a cloth and then leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
4. Next day, strain the cordial through a sieve lined with muslin (or a new j-cloth rinsed out in boiling water), and pour into thoroughly cleaned glass or plastic bottles. Screw on the lids and pop into the cupboard ready to use.
straining the elderflowers
The end result. Delicious!
A Note on Citric Acid.For those who don’t have Boots the Chemist or a local friendly winemakers shop try your pharmacy. I did this last year and asked for some citric acid. Uh? Ceetreek aceed. Uh? Seetreeeeek aseeed! Oh, acid citric…yeah,whatever. We will have to order it. Come back tomorrow. So l did and there it was, a huge tub of it. Bless ‘em!
Let’s go surfin’ now, everybody’s learning how….
07 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brittany Tags: kite-surfing, tregastel
A spin off from the barbecue was to know that Julie & Jean-M were going kite-surfing the next day. We decided to go take a look!
Plage de Trestel
This beach is about 20 mins away from us. White sand, gently sloping away would make it a perfect beach for the family but not when these dudes are about!
'I think we should turn left after that rock....'
I thought the wind was perfect but apparently not. What do l know? After watching Julie and a few others balancing on their surf boards, and keeping a huge kite in the air that is big enough to lift you out of the water, whilst being propelled along the sea at a rapid rate of knots and trying to look cool, l have decided it is not for the faint hearted and l’ll be sticking to taking photos! Looked great fun though.
Julie
Come in number 9, your time is up!
Someone showing off
Seafood BBQ
06 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Cooking and Eating Tags: barbecue, broad beans, crab, diving, harpoon, lobster, scallops, seabass
When you get invited round for a barbecue you would normally expect to have a chicken drumstick, a burger, burnt sausage, maybe a bit of blackened sweetcorn….not this time. Bertrant won the award of ‘Man of the Day’ by catching everything we ate. In the morning he dived off the coast and caught scallops, crabs, lobster, squid and harpooned some sea bass! Eat your heart out Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
The Man
He then prepared everything and cooked it all on three barbecues. It was delicious. The sea bass was melt in the mouth delicious.
scallops in butter and garlic
see food
It was a wonderful meal. Lilli thought if she looked cute enough she would bag a crab. You know what thought did!
Lilli
I provided a small stater of Broad Bean Dip made up of beans and herbs from the garden but l felt a bit feeble stood next to Scuba Man!
Broad Bean Dip
Thank you for a great night Erica & Bertrant.
Smelling Like A Rose
04 Jun 2010 1 Comment
in Clients gardens Tags: constance spry, gertrude jekyll, pergola, roses
The time has come. At last they have arrived. In all their full glory of colour and scent. Yes, over the next few weeks the rose takes centre stage in the garden and gives us the most amazing display of, what is acknowledged to be, the nations (England) most favourite flower.
Constance Spry
Unfortunately l cannot lay complete claim to these wonderful roses which come from David Austin. I planted them for a client who has a love affair for David Austin roses, in particular, the pink variety! We water, feed and prune them and nature does the rest.
Gertrude Jekyll
We brought them over from England with us when we went over there with Herman, our camping car. The bathroom area was filled with rose bushes. Someone found a David Austin rose in Gamm Vert the other week for 17 euros which is a bargain but that was the only one; so for choice its best to get them from England if you can.
Home Sweet Home
Roses on the pergola
By next year these roses will be smothering the corner of this pergola. There are many more roses that haven’t opened yet so there should be a long flowering period this year. Some varieties are repeat flowering but it will never be like the display we get at this time of the year. The scent is heavenly and one that can only be fully appreciated by burying your nose deep into the soft pink petals, closing your eyes and breathing in deeply. Ahhhhhhh……..bliss.
Constance Spry
A Day Off
03 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brittany Tags: beach, frites, Lannion, moules, Perros, Sept-Iles
Being self-employed you would think we could take loads of time off and sit and eat chocolates all day! Well, not all day and certainly not at this time of the year, but we took a trip to La Grande Plage de Goas Lagorn, Baie de Lannion about 40mins from here to have moule frites . It was too nice to be working.
The beach was mentioned in the Daily Telegraph the other week as being one of the best beaches in Brittany.
We got told about this beach and restaurant by some friends of ours, otherwise l don’t think we would have ever found it. Its that sort of place. As you drive along the coast heading back towards Perros-Guirec there are many more small white-sanded beaches to explore.
Just off the coast are the Sept-Iles, a bird sanctuary which is home to puffins, fulmars, kittiwakes, oystercatchers amongst many others. Grey seals can be seen at the foot of the cliffs in the islands’ secluded creeks. Boat trips can be taken from Perros. Maybe next time. The moules frites were excellent by the way!
Down by the River
11 May 2010 1 Comment
in The River, Uncategorized Tags: James, trieux
Trieux
Trieux
Trieux
I took these the other week when James came over. It was nice just having an hour or two shooting away with our cameras. This is just below from where we live. Beautiful.
