Suddenly Summer, Suddenly Autumn

After the long winter we had this year, Summer seemed to arrive very suddenly - almost overnight. There was no gentle warming up to summer; it was as though she was determined to make up for her lateness with her brilliance. And just as suddenly, she has slipped away, like Cinderella as the clock struck midnight.

Suddenly, it is Autumn.

But what a strange autumn so far. I love autumn, it is the season I feel most at home with, and look forward to every year. Somehow we have missed the early morning misty starts to the day and the cool crisp air, and moved straight to the dull gloomy days, where it looks like it should be cold, but it is too humid still.

Perhaps I am being impatient. After all, the leaves haven't really started turning and falling yet. But I do hope that we still get autumn 'proper'.

On a cool grey Sunday, where it is suddenly autumn, there is really only one thing to make for lunch - soup. This is my staple autumn/winter comforting soup. I am sure I must have posted the recipe here before, but just in case, here it is again.

Throw a walnut of butter into a large saucepan and set to melt and gently bubble. Meanwhile, chop either 1 large or 2 small leeks, then throw into the butter, stir round, and let meld gently together.

While the leeks soften and become fragrant, peel and chop 2 parsnips, 2 carrots, and 1 large or 2 small potatoes. Throw them all into the pan with the leeks.

Add boiling water from the kettle to cover the veg, and stir in either a chicken or vegetable stock pot (those jelly-like alternatives to stock cubes).

Bubble away for 15-20 minutes, then shake in some peas or sweetcorn - or if you are feeling decadent, both!

After a minute or two of bubbling, carefully blend the soup. I do it quite roughly, so there is still some texture to it. You can add some milk at this point if you like, too.

This will make enough for 4, easily. It has a slightly sweet taste from the carrots and parsnips, and feels warm and comforting. If you want to make it more substantial, you can add in some pasta, or shredded cooked chicken, but more often than not, I love it just the way it is.

Happy Halloween

When we were little, living at home, we celebrated Halloween simply. We had stretchy black witches dresses that Mum sewed and seemed to grow with us, and she always did a special tea. In fact, one year, she made it look so gruesome that none of us would eat it! We never went out trick-or-treating as I don't think it was so popular back then, but would have a lovely time at home. Mum had a ceramic cauldron which really was a casserole dish which she would fill with pick and mix size sweeties, and stick plastic bugs to the outside. We always had a carved pumpkin alight as well. In later years, when we were too old to dress up, she always made some kind of Halloween display, and we had the cauldron ready for trick-or-treaters.

A few weeks ago, I was telling her how much I would like to have trick or treaters visit, btu we never do. Our old flat was tucked around a corner, so unless you knew it was there, you would never find it. Our new flat is upstairs and you have to buzz to get entry, which I suspect is offputting to trick or treaters. So, Mum said, why didn't I go to hers this year? I don't know why I haven't thought of it sooner, as I did, and it was the most lovely day I have had in a long time.

I spent the morning with one of the girls I used to work with in my little library on the hill. We haven't seen each other for ages, so it was really good to catch up. We drank several pots of tea, and watched the sky become sharp with sunlight and then cloud over, the wind whipping dried leaves and branches against the windowpane. From there I met Mum from her work, as she was on a half day, and we shared a pot of tea in the most delightful teashop, Truly Scrumptious. It is the kind of teashop with flowery tablecloths and mismatched vintage china - in other words, the best kind! Upstairs they had rooms full of vintage clothes and china and all sorts of vintage bric-a-brac for sale, and we had a lovely time browsing.

On the way home, we stopped to buy a large tub of marshmallows for the trick-or-treaters. Our plan was to make up little tissue paper pouches of sweets. We had to form a little production line in the end. Mum cut squares of orange, black, and orange-with-black-spider tissue paper, and I filled them with a few wrapped sweeties and a pair of marshmallows, then Dad cut a length of raffia for me to tie them with. We made lots, and filled a little wicker basket with them.

I loved how Mum had decorated the front porch for the evening - there was a Halloween wreath on the door, a pile of pumpkins (not carved, just heaped in the corner, looking beautiful) and a spiders web with a glowing spider in it. In the window burnt the carved pumpkin. It looked very Country Living. I was so excited when we had the first knock on the door! We had so many trick-or-treaterss that we ran out of pouches and had to make more, twice!

I have to say that I know a lot of people don't like trick-or-treat and think the children are all rude and horrible and will throw eggs everywhere...but my experience couldn't be more different. Our youngest visitor was a four month old baby called Grace dressed as a pumpkin in her mother's arms, visiting with her big sister, and our oldest were some teenage witches. Without exception they had all made the effort to dress up beautifully, they all said thank you, they all said halloween, and were perfectly delightful. There was no silly string, no eggs, no toilet paper, just fun. Their eyes were so wide when we offered them the basket of tissue paper bundles, and it was so nice to see something so simple bringing so much pleasure.

Mum cooked a delicious chicken casserole for dinner. I really miss her cooking, living away from home. She is very kind with sharing her recipes, but there is definitely something special about your Mum's cooking.

Carl came over after he had finished work, and knocked on the door with a 'trick or treat' as I had promised him some sweeties if he did! I hope that your Halloween was as lovely as mine.

Love Mimi xxx

Pumpkin Pleasures

Just over a week ago, I walked to work and smelt wet leaves for the first time; along with cinnamon and cedar, that is the real scent of autumn for me.

The leaves seem to have fallen from the trees almost overnight, and there were at first lofty piles of them which would get caught in the breeze and scatter about, but now are damp and stuck flat to the pavement.

The days seem to be passing so quickly, that we seem to have moved from the first stirrings of autumn to the sudden crisp cool days of deep autumn almost overnight. We went to see the new Bond film on Friday night, and when we came out of the cinema it was late, and cold, and the moon was dazzlingly beautiful and bright. It had seemed to burn a hole in the clouds almost, and lit our way home.

As we walked home, with the wind nipping my nose, I was thinking of pumpkins, because we had two days of entertaining this weekend, and pumpkins were the order of the day. Yesterday we had Carl's sisters and their partners to visit, and today was our annual Pumpkin Carving Brunch Club.

One of Carl's sisters lives in London and eats in a lot of lovely restaurants, so I wanted to make things extra special. I thought about things and decided to go for several courses of tiny portions rather than my usual serve-yourself-buffet-style cooking. I made my signature hot mulled apple punch which I keep warm in the slow cooker, and serve in teacups with a jug of rum or brandy so people can spike their own drinks to their own taste. I like that it is communal and the drinkers and non-drinkers can share the same drink.

I made a pumpkin dip (roasted pumpkin blended with cream cheese and a pinch of dried chillies) with celery, carrots and seeded crackers to scoop it up with, and then roasted a camembert to go alongside. When people had settled, had a drink and a little graze on the nibbles, I served the first course, which was pumpkin soup served in teacups with a little swirl of cream in the top. Next followed rolling pin ravioli (so called because you don't use a pasta maker) stuffed with roast pumpkin. I served 3 little cushions of ravioli tossed in a little butter, pine nuts, crispy bacon, sage, spinach and sprinkled with a little cheese. Next came overnight slow-cooked lamb stew with dumplings. I found tiny casserole dishes, slightly bigger than a ramekin, to serve it in. I nestled a single dumpling atop the stew with baby chantenay carrots on the side. After that came Nigella's hazelnut and chocolate cheesecake, but rather than making a large one and serving it in slices, I made them in little glass ramekins. They are beautiful, but very, very rich. Definitely one to serve with a cup of tea on the side! I had planned to make marzipan acorns to serve with coffee at the end, but I realised too late I did not have any green food colouring. Instead, I served mini doughnuts! I had seen in the Lakeland catalogue that they had a little silicone tray to make them in, and that you could bake them in the oven, so I decided that they would be the perfect thing to try making.

I am pleased to report that they were a total success! Although the recipe on the Lakeland website said that the mixture would make 8, it made 16! I tossed half in caster sugar and the other half in cinnamon sugar, and they all got eaten within minutes! They were very quick and easy to make and I can't recommend the tray enough!

It was really good to catch up with the family again and we spent a happy day talking, although there was a lot of washing up to do afterwards! Today has been pumpkin carving brunch club, and I got a head start on the catering by making twice as much pumpkin soup as I needed yesterday, so served that as a first course again today. I made pumpkin macaroni cheese for the main course, and blended ciabatta, dried sage, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and cheese to sprinkle over the top before it was baked. I served a big dish of sausages alongside, and another dish of bitter green leaf salad, with my favourite beetroot and balsamic vinegar dressing on the side. I was really pleased with the macaroni cheese, as I concocted the recipe myself. My dessert was an 'impossible vegan pumpkin pie' which turned out much better than I hoped.

My guests today are some of my favourite people in the world, and it was a pleasure to have them with me for the afternoon. One brought delicious pumpkin and chocolate brownies, and the lovely Annastasia came bearing the most amazing mini cupcakes which looked like they would bite back! Each cupcake had a strawberry jam mouth and macademia nut teeth, and looked scary but tasted delicious.

Inspired by apple day at the farm a few weekends ago, we had our first apple peeling competition - Annastasia is the reigning Miss Apple Peel 2012, but I shall be practising ready for next year! I used a lino cutting tool to carve my pumpkin this year - while it is really effective I think I need more practise to perfect controlling it.

And so we come to Sunday evening. What a difference a week makes...I remember last Sunday I did not feel so happy at all. But this morning, I needed to pick up a few last minute ingredients, and strode out into the cold, the leaves scuttling about my feet, the air cool in my lungs, and just felt happy. It is a good feeling, and I hope that it lasts for me and that all of you feel happy yourselves.

The extra hour in bed last night was much appreciated, but it means I am feeling very sleepy now, but want to finish off catching up with Strictly Come Dancing on the iplayer before bedtime. I wonder if I will have time to knit up a tiny pumpkin before Halloween on Wednesday?

I think that tonight will be a hot-water-bottle kind of night, and tomorrow will be a scarf and gloves kind of morning. Wherever you are, I hope you are wrapped up warm and had a lovely weekend,
Love Mimi xxx

Making on a Monday

The sky was strange, this morning. It was the first morning in days and days that has not been damp and misty. Yet the sky was a curious heavy grey, and if it had been colder, it looked just like it was full of snow.

What better to do on a chilly November Monday morning than make another batch of Pear and Vanilla jam?! This batch came out ever so slightly pinker, which was pretty. I now have twelve jars ready to be decorated and wrapped ready for Christmas gifts. I am thinking of calling it Partridge In A Pear Tree Jam, although of course, it is partridge free!

After that, I decided that although the sky was still leaden and grey, it was time to get out in the fresh air. So we set off an a walk around the park. We are so lucky to live so close to such a large park. I have loved to notice the subtle changes from walk to walk. There are now more leaves on the ground than there are on the trees, and it was beautiful to see each tree seeming to float in a pool of their own leaves.

Back home, and after lunch, I knitted another row or two on the motoring hood, and then decided it was time to press on with my Christmas card making. I am so close to being finished! I need another sheet of silver card, and then I am done. Although I keep thinking of extra things I could do to embellish them, it is nice to know that I am nearly finished if I choose to be....although I know I probably will go the extra mile with the finishing touches!

I have also made a bottle of spiced rum which we will be giving to my father in law as part of his gift. I was really amazed at the instant effect the spices had on the flavour, and I can't wait to see what it turns out like after it has steeped for a month. To make Spiced Rum take a 750ml bottle of dark rum and add to it 2tbsp sugar (I used vanilla caster sugar), a cinnamon stick, a vanilla pod slit in half lengthways, half a nutmeg (not grated, just bashed a bit to break off half) and three cloves. It should all just about fit in there, where they don't fill the bottle quite to the top. Screw the lid on nice and tight and gently shake it to help the sugar dissolve.

I feel like I have got a lot done today, but perhaps it is because the light fades so early, it feels like the day has slipped away very quickly. I am going to cook dinner soon, as we have a friend joining us this evening. It is for her that I am making the motoring hood, so I must make sure it is hidden away at the bottom of my work basket before she arrives!

Right, off to tidy up and then get in the kitchen! I hope that wherever you are, you are having a lovely Monday.

Love

Mimi

xxx

Today I Am Reading, Making, Watching...

There is something really special about Sundays in November. We are close enough to Christmas to be working on festive projects such as cards and gifts, and to feel that is not too early to indulge in the seasonal drinks on offer at Starbucks and Costa and the like, but also it is far enough away that there is no worry or panic about there being not enough time left.

The weather continues to be hazy with just a suggestion of mist. The afternoon light starts to dim at about half past three, so there is suddenly a beautifully long afternoon at home just beckoning to be lit with candles and enjoyed. It is a quiet, reflective time of year, and I love it.

Today was more special than usual because it was Armistice Day. I observed the 2 minutes silence on the actual day, 11.11.11. all alone in my little library on top of the hill, and again today. I know there will always be some people who do not join in, but it is an amazing thing, to me, to just comprehend the whole nation falling silent at the same time, and just thinking. My older brother served in Afghanistan not so long ago, and it was shockingly scary how quickly he went from playing soldiers to being sent away to fight. Having got him back, it is almost too easy to forget that he may not have come back at all. I take myself back in time, to imagine what it must have been like to be a wife in the second world war. Aside from all the practical considerations of trying to feed your family, I just can't imagine what it would have been like to not ever know from one day to the next if my husband were alive or dead. To go back further, to the war before, to think about the mother of Wilfred Owen receiving the news that her son was dead as the bells rang out to celebrate the Armistice. We have so much to remember and be sorrowful about, but also so much to be thankful for.

These thoughts have left me gently reflective, and to be in a world wrapped in mist, bare branches, scattered leaves and chilly breezes is the idea time to feel thus. I have spent my hours gently today, somehow, it seems fitting.

When I woke, I read most of As The Pig Turns, the latest Agatha Raisin novel. I can't say I enjoyed it as much as I usually do the novels in this series. In places it felt a little contrived, and for a series that belongs firmly in the cosy genre, the murder really was a little grusome this time. However, I have plenty more to be reading, so I shall soon put it out of my thoughts. I hope that the next in the Hamish Macbeth series, by the same author does not follow the same lines!

I have made Pear and Vanilla Jam today, to give as Christmas gifts. I love making jams as gifts, as I like giving something that is consumable and useful, that doesn't have to be found a home for, that isn't more stuff. I like that it is simple, and yet not many people find the time to make their own any more, so the simple becomes special. I chose some dear little pots in Lakeland..actually, I couldn't decide between the hexagonal and a shape called 'orcio' (http://www.lakeland.co.uk/15589/6-Orcio-Presentation-Jars) so I chose a box of each. I have used this recipe http://www.recipebinder.co.uk/recipe.aspx?rid=7594 and am really pleased with the results. The jam is softly set, quite sweet but really delicious, and when held up to the light, is a delightful pale pink colour, like sunrise bleeding into the edges of the clouds.

I have the new issue of Country Living Magazine ready to read later, after a long hot bath. I am never disappointed by this magazine, and if I had to choose only one Christmas magazine, this would be it!

We watched an episode of Miss Marple this afternoon, and once again I found myself sighing over the clothes and makeup. Oh, how I would love to be able to slip back in time just now and again! Rather fittingly, I accompanied the episode with some knitting. Last week I cast on a Christmas gift for a friend, but it is in 4ply yarn on 3.75mm needles, so is taking forever. This is what I am making: http://justcallmeruby.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-every-girl-needs-is-motoring-hood.html although mine is in holly berry red.

I have a few Christmas gifts on the needles at the moment, actually. There are gloves from The Gentle Art of Knitting for Mum, and a crochet ripple stitch cushion in blues for Dad. I am making this http://ttwcreative.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-free-cowl-pattern.html for my little brother, only in a dark charcoal yarn. I need more yarn for the cushion and the cowl, so at the moment car journeys and tv programmes are accompanied by the click-click of my needles as I add another row or so to the hood and scarf set.

There is a candle flickering in the corner right now, casting dancing shadows against a beautiful vase of white chrysanthemums, which smell almost spicy. They were an unexpected but very welcome gift from my Mum. She dropped them into work for me on Thursday. When I thanked her and asked her why she had bought them for me, she replied 'because they are beautiful and I knew you would like them'. Isn't that a lovely reason to buy anyone a gift...I must remember that sweet thing to say if ever similarly asked about an impulse gift.

So here is another Sunday in November. It is any wonder that Sunday is my favourite day of the week?

November Days

The fireworks were really pretty, which was just as well, as there was no bonfire! It was lovely to be able to walk to the fireworks, and walk home again clutching cups of tea, but I think next year we will drive to a display that has a bonfire! There is something about the heat and scent and aliveness of a fire that serves as such a good focal point until the fireworks begin. While I browsing about on the internet, I discovered this scrap from a letter from Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra:

We did not go till nine and then were in very good time for the Fire-Works which were really beautiful and surpassing my expectations- the illuminations too were very pretty.

(See Letter to Cassandra Austen dated 19^th June, 1799)

My favourite were some that Carl described as 'like champagne bubbles'...they were golden, fairly quiet and very sparkly and pretty. When we got home, I made another caramel pumpkin cake to take with us on Sunday, as we were going to visit first my Godson and his brother, and then their grandparents, my Aunt and Uncle. Mum was meant to be coming with us, but had a cold so sadly had to stay at home. 

I love visiting with family. There is always a gentle friendly rivalry  between Carl and my sister's husband as to who will arrive first. We knew we had no chance this time, as we stopped for a cup of coffee on the way down. 

After lunch at my Godson's home, we took the short drive across town to my Aunt and Uncle's house, and it wasn't long before we were embarking on a walk through the woods. It is really breathtakingly beautiful at the moment, and it makes me feel very earthed and grounded to be surrounded by so much nature and such evidence of the seasons in full bloom. The sky started to dim and darken in mid-afternoon, and by half past four it was almost dark. More cups of tea and chatter ensued. There really is nothing like visiting with family. 

This morning we decided to take a walk in the park. I have taken lots of photographs, I must ask Carl to help me get them onto the computer so I can share them with you. There were plenty of leaves on the ground to scuffle through, but equally there were many trees still with a good covering of leaves. They really are the most astonishing colours at the moment. Being a work day, the park was quieter than usual which was rather nice, and we spotted so much wildlife. My favourite was a squirrel, busily burying nuts for winter. 

Now we settled at home again, and although it is not yet three in the afternoon, the light is not strong enough on its own and you really need a lamp or a candle. We are thinking of designating one evening a week as candles-only-after-dark just for the fun and atmosphere of it all. 

Wherever you are, I hope you are having a lovely November day,

Love

Mimi

xxx

A Pumpkin is For Life, Not Just For Halloween....and Happy November!

Reading over my last few posts, you really cannot miss my fondness for the culinary uses for pumpkins! Yesterday being Halloween itself, I had a small gathering of friends round for dinner, and of course, the theme was Pumpkins!

I made a Thai Green Pumpkin Soup which I served in teacups with crispy croutons as a starter. It was simplicity itself, just roasted pumpkin blended with a tin of coconut milk, some thai green curry paste and a pinch of dried chillies, then heated through to serve.

Next I trotted out my old faithful Pumpkin and Sage Risotto recipe. My secret to a great risotto is to take some of whatever vegetable risotto you are making, blend it with a little cream cheese, stock, cheddar and seasoning, then beat into the risotto at the end. It makes it really creamy and flavourful.

For dessert I was going to make Chocolate Pumpkin Creme Brulees with Salted Caramel, but I watched a snippet of This Morning, and Phil Vickery demonstrated a really easy but heavenly looking pumpkin loaf cake, so I made that instead, and I am really glad I did. As long as you have pumpkin, everything else is store cupboard, and the results are really stunning. I served mine with cream whipped with vanilla and a little sugar, and a pinch of edible glitter!

The recipe can be found here: http://www.itv.com/thismorning/food/pumpkin-cake/

I still have lots of pumpkin recipes I want to try though! In particular, Hugh has a recipe for Pumpkin Fold Overs in his new River Cottage Veg Everyday book....they look like an easy but delicious lunch. Then I found this post http://thequincetree65.blogspot.com/2011/11/pumpkin-recipes.html which has given me more food for thought! Although there is something extra nice about cooking with Pumpkins at Halloween, they really are too good and too versatile not to use throughout the autumn months. While I don't like to think of carving pumpkins going to waste, I do think it is worth buying culinary pumpkins where you can. They are smaller and more flavourful, and also they are really quite cheap. One medium pumpkin made all the dishes for my Halloween Dinner, which served 5 with leftovers of everything except the soup!

When I left home for a training course this morning, it was very lightly drizzly and grey. I had my big white shawl with me to wrap up and snuggle in, which was nice, but what was really lovely was spotting here and there the carved pumpkins smiling (or frowning, in some cases!) out from windowsills, doorsteps and gardens. I know that a lot of people don't like trick-or-treating or Halloween in general, but I think that if the former is well supervised it can be really nice, and the latter is what you choose to make it. Sadly we don't get trick or treaters, but I really wish we did. Mum gets quite a lot, and really enjoys planning her treats. She buys a big tin of Quality Street or similar when they are on offer, perhaps a big bag of marshmallows or other Halloween sweets too, and makes up little crepe or tissue paper bundles to hand out. She gets lovely little children knock on the door, and I think she gets as much pleasure out of it as they do.

I still have not got round to one Halloween craft that I have always wanted to do...somehow, every year, time slips away! I want to take a small pumpkin, remove the seeds and put in a vase filled with bronze and orange and red chrysanthemums, so it looks like the pumpkin is the vase. Maybe next year will finally be the year!

One thing I did do this year which I have not done before is to buy a small selection of Halloween chocolates (including the Cadbury 'Screme' Egg which has green goo instead of a yolk in it!) and hide them about the flat for Carl to find, Easter Egg hunt style. That was lots of fun for both of us, so I will be doing that again next year.

So, Halloween is over, but happily Pumpkin season is not. I cannot believe that today is November. Suddenly the year seems nearly over, and Christmas is just around the corner (I do believe I read that it is 54 days!). Autumn is suddenly glorious, the trees are blazing with colour, and the air has that brittle hazy November quality to it.

Wherever you are, I hope you had a spookily perfect Halloween, and enjoy the many delights that November has to bring.

Pumpkin Truffles and Autumn Comforts

This morning we took a walk through the park. It is so beautiful there at the moment, because at last, at last, the leaves are changing colour and starting to fall. It was cooler and damp from where it had rained yesterday and in the night, so instead of being crisp, the leaves were stuck flat to the pavements as though they had been decoupaged. Although nothing beats the joy of scuffing through a big pile of crisp leaves, these were beautiful in their own way.

I can't help but think that nature gives us a helping hand as often as she can. The trees in the park look like flaming torches as their leaves turn every shade of red, orange, yellow and amber you can imagine. They burn like flames, reminding us to make our homes as cosy as we can, to lay in a stock of candles so we can light up the darkening evenings. The blanket of leaves on the ground remind us to layer our homes with the snuggliest of soft blankets we have, to ward off the winter cold. There is something about seeing the suggestion of the skeleton branches on the trees, and knowing they will soon be stark and bare that reminds us how very soon winter will be here, to enjoy this fleeting season while we can, and to lay in our stores for winter.

Laying in your stores makes you feel cosy and prepared. This time of year I like to make sure that I have an extra box of teabags in the cupboard, a few extra portions of home made stew or soup in the freezer, and a little store of tinned tomatoes and so on, all laid by ready for a snowy day. Although it is unlikely (fingers crossed!) that we would get snowed in for days on end, there is something really comforting about knowing that you don't have to go out and brave the icy weather, that you will always have something to tide you over another day or so. Don't forget, of course, to have a pint of milk in the freezer to go with your tea bags!

It isn't just food and drink that I like to lay by, but a knitting project or so, a little pile of black and white films to watch, a variety of candles, and a little pile of books (Miss Read is a favourite at the moment, very gentle and undemanding) all waiting for a dark evening.

But to turn away from the future for a moment, back to today. This morning the new issue of Mollie Makes arrived. I don't normally like orange and yellow as colours, but perhaps becuase of the time of year, I just love the cover. It follows the usual theme of a pair of hands holding something, which I think is so simple but effective, and this time it is someone wearing a yellow jumper holding a mug which is covered with an orange mug cosy. It is another gorgeous issue, full of ideas for things to make as Christmas gifts that aren't too Christmassy in themselves. After watching Kirstie's Handmade Britain, I read the magazine, and then crocheted a mug cosy for Carl. Alas I don't have any orange or yellow yarn, so I used an oddment of really soft purple yarn. I am going to buy some blue yarns tomorrow for my Dad's Christmas gift, so I might pick up a little ball of orange then.

We are going to visit a friend this evening to see her new flat, and are eating dinner there, so I thought it would be nice to take something with us. What better than some after dinner chocolates, and as it is autumn, with a twist?

Autumn Spiced Pumpkin Truffles

On a blustery autumn afternoon, light a candle, flick on some Peggy Lee, and tie on a pretty apron. Break up 8oz of milk chocolate into fairly small pieces, and set aside in a bowl. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree and 1/2 cup double cream in a small saucepan. (Thats just over 4 floz and 2 floz respectively) Stir in 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, and then a big grating of freshly grated nutmeg. Set over a low heat and stir gently, then take off the heat just before it reaches boiling point.

Pour the hot spiced pumpkin cream over the chocolate, and stir until it is melted. Then stir in an ounce of butter until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Now you need to leave it to cool. You can hasten this by pouring it into a shallow dish, putting it in the fridge, or both. When the mixture is cool, take teaspoons of it and roll into balls. It is a bit easier and less messy if you coat your hands lightly in cocoa powder first.

From here you have the option of finishing the truffles by either rolling them in cocoa powder or melted dark chocolate. I am going to do half and half. I haven't got any at the moment, but I think they would be pretty with a dusting of orange edible food glitter on top.

When I take them, I am not going to say they are pumpkin truffles, but ask people to see if they can guess what the mystery ingredient is. The pumpkin definitely serves a purpose by being there, both in terms of texture and flavour, but I don't think you would immediately realise that is what it is.

Oh, before I go and roll those truffles in cocoa powder, for those of you who have asked, Bonfire Night is November 5th. And a big thank you to everybody who has entered so far!

Love

Mimi

xxx

An Apple A Day

This past weekend was Apple Weekend, which is a relatively new custom (it started 22 years ago) but one that I hope will be a firm fixture on the calendar for many years to come. For more information about it all, I have added a link to the title of this post, but basically, across England there are scores of orchards open to visitors, competitions for the longest apple peel, apple tastings and so on.

I have mentioned before the wonderful farm shop that is just a short drive from us, and as it happens, although it sells a wide variety of produce, apples are their speciality, and they grow many unusual varieties.

We parked between trees in one of the orchards, and as we got out of the car the air was scented with cooking sausages. The day was bright, with a cool breeze, but not chilly which was just perfect. The light had that early-autumn haze to it which makes everything look so beautiful. In one barn there were many of the producers of food sold in the farm shop offering tastings of their wares and a chance to meet the people behind the products. The nice thing was that they were not selling anything right there, so there was no pressure to buy, but everything was available in the farm shop, so you could go home with anything that you fell in love with. One stall had teeny ice cream cone cups, about the size of those dosing cups that come with cough mixture. The flavours on offer were toffee apple which was very sweet but delicious, and the intriguingly named Christmas. Christmas really did taste of Christmas! It had the idea of mincemeat but also a citrus mixed spice flavour mingling through too. I will be serving some of that this year during the festive season!

There were lots of things on offer for children, including peddle-powered mini tractors to race around a track and donkey rides! We got to stroke some pygmy goats, but we couldn't spot the resident guinea pigs, as they had rather sensibly curled up in their little house. In the rent-a-tree orchard there were archery taster sessions running, so Carl and I both had a go. It was so much fun! I found it really hard to draw the string on the bow back far enough as it felt like it was going to snap and ping me in the face at any moment! I didn't manage to pop any of the balloons that were up for target practise, but all my arrows did land on the thing we were aiming at, which was a pleasant surprise!

After that we wandered to the apple tasting barn. There was a great long trestle table laid out in an 'L' shape with basket after basket of different varieties of apple, and staff to cut you pieces and talk to you about the different kinds. It was a bit frustrating, because you queued at the short end of the L and worked your way along, but people behind us kept 'just going over to have a look' at the long side of the L and queue jumped! And queueing is supposed to be practically a national sport! The wait was worth it though, and we sampled Topaz and D'Arcy Spice and Jupiter before taking ourselves off to the farm shop to purchase some apples to take home. We chose several varieties, taking 2 of each so we can both try them.

I can't wait for next year, when I will definitely be having a go at the longest apple peel competition!

Satisfaction on a Wednesday Evening

Yesterday evening was an evening for strong Yorkshire tea in a chunky mug decorated with a floral union jack...comforting tea. I had a bit of a grim day yesterday, the whole thing coloured by an incident in the morning. I was working at my adopted library and walked in on someone making some incredibly rude, personal and hurtful comments about me. You know when the whole room goes still and quiet? It was one of those moments. Happily I kept my self possession and walked away, but while I kept my head high, my insides were sinking.

This evening, however, is rose scented tea from a thin, delicate mug patterned with butterflies. The ladies who witnessed the event of yesterday morning have been overwhelmingly lovely and kind, I have just come back from my burlesque dance class (which is going really, really well...I love it!) and Kirstie Allsopp's new series started tonight (I recorded it). Oh, and the Puppini Sisters have a new album out soon. Here is a link to a free taster! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF112UfSG5w&feature=share

Tonight's dinner was a real success, too. I had some pumpkin risotto left over from Sunday, so I turned it into arancini. Before work this morning, I took tablepsoons of the cold risotto, and rolled them into balls. Then I poked a finger in to form a miniature bowl made from risotto. I filled the bowl with cheddar cheese, then sealed it closed with a little more risotto. Each ball got rolled first in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs, before being set aside for this evening. When I got home all I had to do was fry the arancini while the sauce cooked. The sauce was an onion, fried slowly until soft and melting, with some chopped tomatoes, a pinch each of sugar and dried chillis and a sprinkling of dried mixed herbs. After that had bubbled away, I wilted in handfuls of spinach and rocket. I served it with a scattering of pine nuts and sunflower seeds. Considering it was mainly leftovers and storecupboard staples, it made an impressive dinner. Actually, I think I enjoyed the left overs more than the original dish! I think next time I make them, I will try goats cheese or feta as a filling.

And then of course, there are the comments left for me here, as well. It touches me very much that not only do you find the time to read my scribblings, but that you find time to comment too, and that your comments are so thoughtful. I love when you share your thoughts with me. It is like having a steaming pot of tea at a big wooden kitchen table, and catching up. Now I must warn you that I am terrible at remembering to check my emails, but if any of you would like to email me ever, then I have added my email address in the 'about me' section to the top right corner of my blog. (In case you are wondering, I am not mrsclaxton07 because Carl has got through 7 wives, it is because I became Mrs Claxton in 2007!)

Actually, today has been such a lovely day that I think as well as my butterfly mug of rose scented tea, I will be having half a Marks and Spencer Iced Spiced Bun as well. (Why half? Mr C will want the other half, of course!)

I really hope that you are all having a lovely Wednesday too. I am off to bed now...it has turned so chilly here it is bedsocks and hot water bottle weather! Just as well, because secretly, that is my favourite time!

Love

Mimi

xxx

Pumpkin Carving Brunch Club

Today we held our annual Pumpkin Carving Brunch Club. I always look forward to it, and was so pleased that everybody had a good time. As people arrived we had hot mulled pear cider to drink out of tea cups, and then we had a cider tasting in tiny espresso cups. We had bought several bottles of flavoured cider, and invited our guests to taste them blind and guess what they were drinking. Then we served the food, for our guests to help themselves to. Naturally, pumpkin is the main ingredient! I made a pumpkin risotto, into which I beat a vegan-cream-cheese-and-roasted-pumpkin puree at the end, a spiced pumpkin and spinach stew, jacket potatoes, and sausages. There were little dishes of sage, pumpkin seeds and grated cheese to sprinkle over the food.

The tradition is that everybody brings a dessert, and there were some delicious offerings. There were miniature cupcakes, iced with orange, and topped with star sprinkles or chunks of chocolate flake; zucchini autumn trifle; and our own offering, do-it-yourself-toffee-ice-cream-sundaes.

After we had eaten, we had another round of cider tasting, then everbody carved a pumpkin. It was lovely to see everybody absorbed, and of course, everybody gets to take their pumpkin home, which makes a marvellous party bag!

If you have not had a pumpkin carving party, then I would say do give it a go. You can make it more autumnal than halloweeny if you like, as we do, or you can go all out and make it spooky. I enjoyed serving all the drinks in tea cups, as it put a little-sips-of-tea twist on things. Here are some recipes to get you started:

Hot Pear Spiced Cider

Into a slow cooker, pour 1 litre of pear cider (I used Kopparberg) and stir in a slosh of dark rum (Mount Gay is my favourite). You can make it as strong or weak as you like! I then stirred in some of Whittard's Mulled Wine Instant Tea powder to taste, but in the past I have also used little bags of mulling spice. Finally, float in some sliced orange, leave to get steamingly hot, and ladle into pretty teacups to serve.

Earl Grey Spiced Apple Tea

This makes a lovely offering for those who choose not to drink, are pregnant, or are driving. It is so simple, but tastes so much more than the sum of its parts. Into a saucepan, pour a carton of apple juice, about a litre in all. There is no need to buy anything more than the most basic kind for this. Into the juice place three Earl Grey teabags (after the recent controversy, you may wish to avoid Twinnings!) and place on a low heat. Once it is steamingly hot, take the tea bags out, and pour the tea into a pre-warmed teapot to serve. Keep it warm with a tea cosy. My top tip for prewarming a teapot is to take the lid off, and hold it upside down over a steaming kettle so the steam warms it.

Spiced Pumpkin Stew

This is another very simple recipe, and does not require much attention, but does require plenty of time for long slow cooking, so the flavours can meld together. The list of spices is long, but they marry together so well, it is worth buying any that you don't already have in your storecupboard.

You will need:

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp fenugreek

1/2 tsp tumeric

pinch dried chillies

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 large onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed, or a squeeze of Lazy Garlic

500g pumpkin, peeled and cubed*

I tin plum tomatoes

3 dried apricots

150ml water

250g spinach

*you should have 500g pumpkin after you have peeled and deseeded it. Make the cubes fairly chunky, so they are substantial, but not so large that they aren't bitesized. Also, do make sure that you get a 'culinary pumpkin' not a carving one!

1) Heat the oil, then add the mustard seeds, and wait for them to 'pop'.

2) Stir in the other spices, and let them cook for a minute or so, until they are really fragrant.

3) Stir in first the garlic, and then the onion.

4) Cook on a very low heat long and slow, until the onions are meltingly tender.

5) Add the pumpkin, then stir in. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

6) Blitz the canned tomatoes in a blender, then stir in. Cook for another 5 minutes.

7) Blend the apricots into the water, then add to the pan.

8) Boil and simmer until the pumpkin is soft. This iwll probably take about 20-30 minutes.

9) Stir in the spinach, which should wilt down very quickly.

10) Your stew is ready to serve, and will freeze nicely. Serve with rice or jacket potatoes, and garnish with pumpkin seeds, perhaps a little grated cheese, and a drizzle of chilli oil.

Enjoy!

Snippets From A Day At My Adopted Library

Did I mention that I have been asked to work on Tuesdays at a library? It isn't going to be forever, but probably until Christmas, and today was my third time working there. I could catch the bus, but it takes over an hour, whereas the train is only ten minutes....although it should be fast as it costs nearly £7 to get there and back!

When I set out this morning I could tell right away that the unseasonable weather was on its way out. The morning was not crisp, but certainly cooler than it has been. Along the little alley-walk that takes me between the back gardens, there was a black kitten sitting up perfectly straight and looking at me. When I got off of the train the other end, there was a great clump of Old Man's Beard shivering in the breeze. Little things, but they make me smile.

When I got to work, I was a few minutes early, and I spent the time looking out of the window. The building the library is in is three stories tall, and the staff room is on the top, so you look out across the rooftops, which is really rather lovely. Down in the library was a poster saying that the library was going to be featured on Flog It! today, at 4:00pm. If you have missed it, it is available on iplayer. The programme is mainly set in Colchester (where there is also a library, and a lovely one too) but there is a section about Dorothy L Sayers, and that was filmed in Witham Library, my adopted library for now. The Dorothy L Sayers Centre is a room in the library, and it was there that I had my interview for my Danbury job, so I always hold it in a special place. Opposite the library is a statue of the lady herself, with a cat, and the house where she lived is just a few doors down from the library.

When I left to walk back to the station, the air was cooler still. The sunshine was welcome, but I can sink thankfully into autumn now. There is a long avenue to walk along, and it is lined with trees. I could tell which kind of tree I was walking under from the sounds beneath my feet. There were scrunchy sycamore keys, and little nubbly prickly seed cases that crunched crisply underfoot, and then swathes of scrunchy leaves to scuff through.

Home again, and thankfully so. Although I work with some very lovely ladies, I am finding it tiring (you are on your feet the whole day). I have whipped up a chicken and rice bake, and then Carl and I together cooked Fiery Hungarian Paprika, Sausage and Cabbage soup ready for tomorrow evening. I am going a dance class tomorrow evening, so I didn't want to come home and cook.

So now it is sips of tea and the scent of dinner cooking, the prospect of a long and very hot bath, and the final of The Great British Bake Off....have a lovely evening!

Oh, but before I go, how lovely....I have been wanting Sophie Dahl's new book ever since it was published, and today it arrived at the library! I hadn't even ordered it, it was just in the new books, so I am going to read that in bed later!

Love

Mimi

xxx

What We Need, What We Want

Anyone who has read any of the beautiful books by Sarah Ban Breathnach, particularly Simple Abundance will know that she is a firm believer that what we have is what we need. sometimes we just need to look a bit harder to see it. The past few days have been gloriously sunny and warm, very un-autumnal altogether, and much more summery than our actual summer was. It actually reached twenty eight degrees here today!

Even before this beautiful Indian summer, I had heard whisperings from people that we are going to have a hard winter. The weather forecasters' predictions are being backed up by abundant berries on bush and tree...which made me wonder, is nature giving us what we need (the sunny weather) instead of what we want (it to be autumnally crisp!) ahead of the cold winter that is coming? One of my favourite poems is Autumn Day by Rilke:

Lord: it is time. The huge summer has gone by.

Now overlap the sundials with your shadows, 

and on the meadows let the wind go free.
 
Command the fruits to swell on tree and vine; 

grant them a few more warm transparent days, 

urge them on to fulfillment then, and press 

the final sweetness into the heavy wine.

Whoever has no house now, will never have one. 

Whoever is alone will stay alone, 

will sit, read, write long letters through the 

evening, 

and wander the boulevards, up and down, 

restlessly, while the dry leaves are blowing.

There are many translations, but this is my favourite. The lines 'grant them a few more warm transparent days....press the final sweetness into the wine' seem so appropriate for these first days of October. October is one of my favourite months. As the days pass, autumn seems to creep in silently at first and then take command. Leaves fall, mists wreathe the fields and at the end of the month the clocks go back. It is near enough to Christmas to start making little preparations in earnest, but not so close it feels frantic. We always hold our annual pumpkin carving brunch club, and it is the weather for hot apple cider and any number of pumpkin recipes.

So while I am more than ready for the weather to turn a little crisper and cooler and more typical of autumn, it has also been lovely to make the most of the sunshine. I have been trying to look at it as what I need rather than what I want. A lot of other families had the same idea, and the park was full. Luckily it is so huge that there is more than room for everybody. We spent the afternoon breathing in the air and sitting in the shade reading. I took a book and a magazine, and Carl took his new Kindle! His friends at work had a collection for him, and that is what they bought him. On one hand I am so pleased that they got him something and clearly had a lot in the collection, but the other hand...a Kindle?! Eek! I am trying to ignore it! We sat and read and people watched which was really rather a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Really, it could have been August! In the background, we could hear the odd whinny from a horse, as there were carriage rides around the park grounds. This evening back at home we have heard the Cathedral bells ringing out at practise. As I washed up earlier, the sky once again turned the most fabulous shade of bright blue, with a bright sliver of silver moon glimmering brightly in the middle. The silver of the moon makes me think of the silver frosts to come, and if it is going to be a hard winter, then I will need to make some preparations. I don't have a lot of cupboard space, but I think some extra tins, packets of tea bags, bread mix and so on would be a good idea, and I will be buying some milk for the freezer too. Did I mention that our landlord won't let us put up curtains? We just have wooden slatted blinds, so I need to think of some ways of keeping the flat nice and toasty too, although happily I do have some tricks in mind!

Wherever you are, I hope the sun is shining on you, and you have all you need, and all you want.

Love

Mimi

xxx

Savouring An Autumn Afternoon

Two Thursdays in every four, I have to be out and about earlier than normal in order to get the early bus to my library-on-a-hill. This morning I decided to wear a jersey dress in deep green, patterned with abstract roses. When I opened the door I gave a little gasp of pleasure as this has been the first morning with that proper autumnal freshness in the air. Not cold enough to be a nip or a chill, just enough to give a little shiver and a moments thought as to whether it would be wise to pop back upstairs for a shawl. I decided to brave it out however, and I am glad I did. It has been a beautiful day, and as I walked from bus stop to library, I really noticed drifts of leaves on the ground...autumn really is coming!

I find myself with a quiet afternoon and evening to myself. Sometimes it is nice just to potter and think alone. When I have finished here, I am going to bake a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies (recipe via Attic24) and then an aubergine and cherry tomato tart, adapted from a recipe in this month's Vegetarian Living magazine. I plan to stud the mixture with little slivers of salty-sharp feta cheese, and probably introduce some red onion too. That will be dinner ready for tomorrow evening, and perhaps lunch on Saturday too. I have All About Eve to watch on dvd, and I am going to paint my nails while I watch it. I had been planning to change from my current inky purple to bright red, but now I am toying with hot chocolate instead. Then I am going to have an early night with the October issue of Country Living magazine.

What do you have planned for this evening? Looking at the time, perhaps I had better start, or that early night won't be quite so early after all! Oh, but before I go, did you see, I have added to my list of 'scrumptious places and people on the internet'. I hope you enjoy visiting some of my favourite blogs...and I hope you might share some of your favourite places to visit too!

La Rentree

The rain is drip, drip, dripping outside my window this afternoon. The air is perfumed with the freesias in the bouquet I carried at my sister's wedding on Monday, and the rain. It is cool but not yet chilly, and it is a good afternoon to be at home with a pot of tea.

Perhaps it is because we have not had a proper summer; perhaps it is the come-down after my dear sister's much anticipated wedding; perhaps it is just that I have not had a holiday in 2 years, or a week off work since I started my new job.

Whatever it is, I am feeling under the weather and slightly out of sorts.

You see, everything inside me is whispering urgently 'autumn, autumn, autumn!' Everything outside is whispering 'autumn, autumn, autumn' and the two combined are very loud indeed, and yet...it is August! Summer!

It is not that I am wishing time away, but I just feel ready for September and the new-term back-to-school feeling which accompanies it. At the same time, I feel slightly guilty, like I should be wringing every last drop from summer. But it is hard to be properly summery when every day brings showers!

I discovered that the French have a wonderful word for this time, the pre-autumn but back-to-school time, which is La Rentree. Quite literally, The Return. It fills me with excitement, and I think it is just the thing to cure my summer blues. I believe I have mentioned a lovely novel, Remedy by Anne Marsella before. In this, the main character develops a kind of 'uniform' to wear to work, and I feel like doing the same thing, almost as going to buy new school uniform. I find myself wanting to buy pencils and notebooks, and my eyes are drawn to the rich purple nail polishes in the shops.

I find myself thinking of 'school rules' for myself, and feeling betwixt and between as I don't want to give myself too much to live up to, but want some little challenges too. So far I have settled on eating an apple a day, as that feels suitably back-t0-school-ish and also autumn-ish for me, and of course has the benefits of being fabulous for the skin! I also want to walk to work more than I have been, although that will be much easier when it is not raining so much!

I will be thinking of other little things too, and will share them with you, as well as letting you know how I am getting on with the others!

So do put a pot of tea on, and drink with me to the coming cosiness of autumn, and a fresh new school year for us all, no matter how long ago it was that we last went to school! What would you like to learn this year?