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Crumpets/Pikelets

February 9, 2021 by ayearinredwood

Is it just my lockdown brain that is causing me to crave foods I haven’t had in years and years? Are others going through the same thing? I am frantically trying to avoid baking ….. well if I bake, we will have to eat the results!!

My current craving is for rice pudding. I haven’t succumbed to that YET!

The craving I did give in to was crumpets. I cannot remember when I last had crumpets. It was probably when we still lived in Dublin. However, recently the word got in to my brain and I just had to have some. I am not exaggerating when I say I spent weeks looking up various recipes and dithering about making them. I decided they would be too difficult. The recipes called for ‘muffin rings’. I have never in my life come across a ‘muffin ring’.

Did the ‘google’ thing and yes you can buy rings especially to have perfectly round muffins.

And, then, wonder of wonders I discovered there is such a thing as a pikelet, in other words an irregular shaped muffin.

I was good to go. And, let me tell you despite all my dithering and hopping from one recipe to another, they so easy to make.

In fact, the only problem with them is that…. they are so easy to make you will be making them TOO much.

Ingredients:

  • 225g Strong flour
  • 10 fl. oz Milk
  • 2 fl. oz Water
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 pack Yeast (7 g)
  • Pinch of Caster Sugar
  • A little butter

Method:

Combine milk and water and heat gently until just warm. Just warm enough that you can touch.

Mix your dry ingredients together. Make a well in the centre and gradually add in the milk. Cover your bowl with clingfilm. You now need to set this aside and let the mixture double in size. Obviously, the time involved depends on how warm your kitchen is.

Here is my TOP TIP to speed up the process .. place bowl in the oven with the oven light on. This brings temperature in oven up to about 22 deg. C and your mixture will have doubled in about an hour.

To cook your muffins (pikelets), grease a heavy pan with a little butter and place on high heat. Put spoonfuls of the mixture (which will be quite elasticy .. I know not a word, but you’ll know what I mean) on the pan and cook for a few minutes each side.

As with making pancakes I have found that the first one is not the best! However, they more you make the better they get. Don’t rush the process, and the longer you can leave on pan (without burning) the more they will rise.

The quantity above makes 7 or 8.

Hope you make them and enjoy!

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Shopping Local

December 1, 2020 by ayearinredwood

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And we can breathe again

November 9, 2021 by ayearinredwood

Despite Covid and all the restrictions we’ve had, we have had a very busy summer. We did not reopen until 1st July. It was with great trepidation that we re-opened, and we were so unsure of how it would all pan out.

We have been extraordinary lucky with the guests we have had. No-one had any difficulty with us asking about vaccination status, or showing their Covid certificates.

And as always we have met the loveliest of people along the way, from all corners of the world.

At some point in the midst of all the cleaning (and there is an awful lot more of it now!) and ironing, Deirdre from Unwind contacted me and asked if I’d like to try her night-time snacks. To be perfectly honest I’m not really a cup of tea and biscuit before bed person, but said I could offer them to guests!

Deirdre did suggest that the Dark Chocolate and Orange bar was particularly nice with a glass of wine. Now that suggestion I could definitely run with. And, you know what? She was right. I can’t say whether I slept any better after it, but I certainly felt better after the delicious chocolate and orange hit.

Deirdre hand bakes the bars which contain contain all natural ingredients like chamomile and montmorency cherry, all to aid relaxation. And if that isn’t enough Deirdre has lots of unwinding hacks over on her website.

Do check our your local health food store for the selection of these bars…. you won’t regret it.

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Oldfarm Coffee Liqueur

December 10, 2020 by ayearinredwood

This is the third option on the Christmas liqueurs that I make. It is so simple and straight forward, it really and truly is.

You have the Cointreau and Limoncino recipes both of which require a bit of planning ahead. This liqueur can be made and be ready to serve on the same day. The original recipe came from Paolo Thullio’s book. The addition of the cream is my idea. Plenty of time for you to make a batch for Christmas!

I’ve seen lots of posts recently sharing recipes for homemade ‘Baileys’, but they all use so many ingredients. One recipe had like 10 ingredients. This has four!!!

Ingredients:

  • Half litre strong black coffee
  • Half litre vodka
  • 200 grams sugar
  • Cream

Method:

Make your coffee and while still hot dissolve the sugar in the coffee. Stir it well to make sure the sugar is dissolved.

Add your vodka to the coffee/sugar mix. Shake well.

Bottle.

When it comes to serving it, you can enjoy as is with an ice-cube in it. Or for a more decandent drink, chill your liqueur in the fridge for a while, then pour equal amounts of coffee and cream into your glass.

Go make this now and be ready for Christmas.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Marmalade

October 26, 2020 by ayearinredwood

When my nieces and nephews were younger and came to stay, we would always carve a pumpkin. I hated the waste of just throwing the flesh to the hens or pigs (although they enjoyed them). I tried pumpkin pie a couple of times but hey, it just didn’t do it for me. And then I found this recipe, I cannot remember where though.

Now I don’t do any carving of pumpkins…. I just go buy pumpkins when they are in season so I can make this marmalade. Guests and visitors who have tasted it here love it too.

So go try it. Rather than waste all that lovely orange flesh make marmalade.

Pumpkin Marmalade

A little word of warning…. it is a 2 day process.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pumpkin about 4 lbs weight
  • 2 lbs sugar
  • 3 lemons
  • 1 orange

Day 1.

Cut pumpkin in half and scoop/scrape out the seeds and fibre. Cut the pumpkin into smaller more manageable pieces and peel off the rind. Chop the peeled pumpkin into 1/4 inch cubes and put in a large pot with half the sugar.

Let this stand overnight.

Day 2.

Next day cut the citrus fruits in half, remove seeds and chop into smaller pieces. Process these pieces in a food processor. Add citrus to pot with pumpkin. Add the remaining sugar.

Put pot over low heat, stirring until sugar melts and it comes to the boil.

Reduce heat and keep at a fast simmer for 3 or 4 hours, stirring often. Cook until fruit is clear and syrup is thick. This marmalade does not set like a regular marmalade or jam, but this does not diminish from the overall taste.

 

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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

June 10, 2020 by ayearinredwood

Death is part of keeping livestock.  There is a saying “if you have livestock, you will have deadstock”.  Being able to say that does not make it any easier!

When you raise animals be it pigs or sheep for meat, you know there will be a time when you have to ‘let go’, and they will head to the abattoir and come back as meat for the freezer.  That is part of the whole process.  You don’t become immune to it, but you know that while you cared for the animal it had a good and healthy life.

Sometimes you have to make extremely tough decisions.  It is impossible (well for us it is) to watch an animal suffer and know that despite all the medication/care you have given it, it is still in pain.  We’ve had to make that decision with our beloved Clarence… he was crippled with arthritis and nothing was easing the pain for him.

Clarence…. the start of our journey

Or then there was the time that it was Lucy’s time to go, and we had this horrendous experience.

However, when the death of an animal happens unexpectedly, it is gut wrenching.

This is what happened to us about a fortnight ago.  We had not left the property together since the start of the pandemic, but decided we’d go to a local garden centre for a trip to the outside world!  It was a glorious sunny afternoon.  Our two dogs were left outside.  However, we came home to a trail of feathers and 5 birds gone (3 hens and 2 roosters).  And, worst of all, it was one of my favourite roosters that was taken.

Barnaby was a kind old soul. He never really got to strut his stuff, as he was always second in command to Zack.  Barnaby therefore never developed the true rooster feathers…. just keeping his place, and making sure Zack didn’t feel threatened.  If Zack was on front lawn, Barnaby would hang out with his ladies on the back lawn…. always keeping out of Zack’s way.

When something like this happens, and we presume it was a fox attack, all sorts of emotions hit you.

The guilt : why did we both go out?  One of us should have stayed at home!

The anger : with yourself for leaving the place unattended; with the dogs!!!!  What the hell were they doing?

In the end though, you can blame no-one, life must go on, and as in life and the keeping of animals there is always a risk of something going wrong.

 

 

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Staying Positive

May 13, 2020 by ayearinredwood

Well here we are.  How many weeks into this ‘lockdown’/pandemic?  I’m not sure. Some days I even struggle to figure out what day of the week it is!

How are you doing?

I have to admit some days are better than others here.  There are days when I feel like I’ve no motivation, and could quite happily just sneak back to bed!!!

Then there are days when we get lots done.  So let’s concentrate on the positive, right?

The weather has been glorious since this all started, sunshine for the most part. April was actually warm. We got to dine al fresco quite a bit.  May has not been so warm…. dry but actually quite cold.

The pizza/clay oven has been completed…. eight years after the base was originally built!

clay/pizza oven

New clay oven being checked out as a possible nesting site!!!

My social distancing honesty table has put egg sales through the roof!  I cannot keep up with sales.  Some days there are no eggs for us.

This week we’ve started on a new evening seating area… will keep you posted on progress on that.

I’ve planted so many vegetables, a few outdoors, but mostly in the tunnel.  I’ve tons of vegetables waiting patiently in the polytunnel for the weather to warm up a bit, so I can get them outside.

Harvest 2020 has started with rhubarb and radishes.  It looks like we should have a huge crop of fruit this year, the trees and bushes are laden with fruit.

We are thankful for our very fully stocked freezers.  There is now space in them for the first time in many years, as we work our way through our stock.  There have been a few UFOs discovered… Unknown Freezer Objects!

I’ve been taking a photo or video a day to share especially with people who cannot get out into the countryside.

I’ve also been editing our YouTube channel which I set up, probably 10 years ago, loaded videos to and never did anything more.  So this too is a learning curve.

We’re also learning lots about Webex and Zoom.  There has been a family birthday party via Zoom, as well as a virtual dinner party with friends via Zoom.  Maybe Zoom will be the new ‘going out’?

Like so many other small businesses, we’ve had to rethink ways to make an income.  We’re not sure when/if the bed and breakfast business will ever return to a semblance of normality.  All bookings for this year (which looked like being extremely busy) have been cancelled, every single one!

And because people aren’t allow to travel beyond 5 km from home, or gather with strangers, our courses were hit hard too.  However, we decided we can at least see how they would work online.  I know, it does seem strange doing ‘free range pig-rearing’ on line.  It is working though.  We’ve our third group joining us next week. Over 2 sessions we cover all the theory, and because I’ve been working on the YouTube channel, I’ve unearthed videos of pigs to show everyone!

White soda and griddle bread made during online bread making class

We started the online bread making course last week, and so far, it seems folks like the idea of this class on a Sunday morning.  We can’t do the complete course on line, but we do share the recipes, and do two of the three breads over the course of an hour and a half.

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How are you coping?

March 31, 2020 by ayearinredwood

Within hours of posting my last post, our lives changed even further and now 2 weeks on, we’ve had big changes again!  We are in what is being called ‘lock down’ with travel restrictions and businesses having to close unless deemed essential.  If you can work from home you can, but if your job outside the home is not deemed ‘essential’, then you stay at home.

All schools are still closed, no visiting hospitals or nursing homes.  No travel further than 2 km from your home…. and allowed to do that only for light exercise.

‘Essential’ shops are still open.  Groceries stores can’t cope with the requests for home deliveries.

There is talk of even more restrictions coming in the next day or so.

A whole new language has developed around this Corona Virus.

Stay at home….. is the main phrase being used.  Families not being allowed to visit each other.  Grandparents and grandchildren being separated.  It is tough but it is for the good of all.

Cocooning…. anyone over 70 is being asked to stay indoors, other than to maybe go into the garden (if they have one).

Flattening the Curve…. they are trying to slow down the spread of the disease, hence all the measures that have been put in place.

Self-Isolation… as many people rushed to get back into the country/home from abroad, all are being asked to go into ‘self-isolation’ for a period of 14 days, the length of time it can take for symptoms to develop.

As I say live has changed utterly.

However, there are pluses to this.

We Irish can be very proud of how our politicians have taken the lead.  It is not easy.  And no matter what you may think of their politics, I think they are doing a wonderful job and deserve every praise we can give them.  This was our Taoiseach (Prime Minister) on St. Patrick’s Day.

Also, the majority of Irish people are adhering to the requested restrictions to our lives.  Of course, there are the lunatics who still gather and have parties, but they will regret this.  In typical Irish fashion there has to be an upside… and instead of referring to the current situation as a ‘lock down’, we are referring to it as a ‘lock-in’.

For the uninitiated a ‘lock-in’ happens when you go to the pub, closing time arrives, but everyone is having such fun… the doors are locked with the people still inside partying, often in a back room, so that the front rooms have no lights on, and no-one knows you are in there!!!  It does sound a lot better doesn’t it?

We are keeping ourselves busy with outside jobs at the moment as the weather has been good.  If, and when, the weather changes there are plenty of indoor jobs to be tackled.

How has Corona Virus impacted on your life?

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What times we live in

March 17, 2020 by ayearinredwood

Strange times indeed.

Since last Thursday (12th March) our country has changed.  The government announced measures to contain the now infamous #CoronaVirus by asking us all to restrict our movements.  Large gatherings were banned and sporting events cancelled.

At times it is almost unbelievable.  You look out at a beautiful Spring morning where the place looks so glorious, and yet there is so much sickness about.

Primroses

Primroses

We’ve all developed a whole new language with phrases like ‘social distancing’ in there at the top of the pile.

My poor aunt (in her 80s) found this particularly perplexing.  What are you supposed to do at a funeral, she asked?  Not sure she listened when I told her she will have to stop going to funerals!

By Sunday (15th) more changes were introduced.  There had been videos circulating of crazy people out partying in pubs on Saturday night, so the government once again had to intervene and insist the pubs close.  For the first time in the history of this little country there have been no St. Patrick Day parades.  However, that did not stop the fun.  Check these people having private parades!

We are lucky here.  We have freezers full of food.  Although it is that time of year when the garden has very few fresh vegetables, but we will manage.

The past weekend was spent dealing with guest cancellations.  When we had thought we would have a busy April and May, that is now all gone.  We still have a booking for June.  When/if this blows over will people start to travel again?  Who knows.

Five days into this new ‘normal’, where it has mostly been listening to the radio and watching news programmes.

I feel I am going to have to start putting more ‘structure’ on the days as this drags on.  We could be in this for quite a bit of time.  While I have been trying to put variety into the day… doing indoor jobs, baking, cleaning, nipping to the garden when the weather permits ….I still feel as if I am floundering a bit.  I think I need to find a specific project to tackle… just need to identify one!!!

For the time being stay safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Cointreau & Orange Cheesecake

March 3, 2020 by ayearinredwood

You all know that I make liqueurs at Christmas time… mainly as gifts for friends, but it would be wrong not to keep some for ourselves, wouldn’t it?

I’m not that into desserts myself … hand me a cheeseboard any time.

However, we always offer guests a dessert option.  And, last month I was struggling hard to come up with a gluten-free option, especially with the poor selection of fresh fruit available at this time of year.

Then, I had a ‘light bulb’ moment.

Why not make a cheesecake using some of my homemade liqueurs!!!

Even if I say so myself the result was wonderful.  And I guess the request for ‘seconds’ from guests means that they enjoyed it too!

Cointreau

Ingredients:

  • 250 g gluten-free digestive biscuits, crushed.
  • 110 g butter, melted.
  • 450 g cream cheese at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp Cointreau
  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 200 ml cream
  • 2 small Cadbury flake bars

Method:

Mix the crushed biscuits and melted butter together.  Press mixture into a lined 9 inch flat tin.  Place in fridge for at least 1 hour.

Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.

Separately beat the cream cheese to soften it, add in the sugar and coffee liqueur.  Fold in the whipped cream and finally crumble in 3 of the flake bars.

Spoon mixture onto now set base and smooth out.

Place in fridge for at least 2 hours to allow to ‘set’.

Decorate with mandarin segments prior to serving.

As a side note… this cake freezes really well too!

I hope you try it and enjoy!

 

 

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