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HELLO FORKERS 🌞 August ‘20

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Posts

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Oh, joy, we had a big shower, thunder, filled up the water butts.  A plea!! have lost my tomato ketchup receipe, the only ones I can find on-line say store in the fridge eat within 7 days, mine, you could store for a year, like chutney, got the glut, jars out, and where is the blasted receipe!!  Anyone on here, (course you do) have a nice one to share
  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291
    It went dark at 5pm and we had a water-butt-filling rain downpour. It has brightened up a bit now. 
    Seen my neices and the puppy so that has cheered me. I’m just having a bite to eat then going back to settle Dad-in-law for the night (the carers we’re going to a 30 mile round trip and could only offer a 6-6:30pm call for the last call of the day so I didn’t mind offering today). It’s more to support Mum-in-law really. 

    Take care all - especially of you have ‘weather’. 
    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    No rain here today. 
    My deliver van broke down this morning, nightmare. 
    A Customer gave me a bar of chocolate as a tip. bless 'im .
    I was sserving him at the till and he left it on the belt 
    " don't forget your chocolate " 
    " It's for you" he said pushing it back towards me. 
    " you're a key worker and we're all grateful, it's the least I can do " 
    Some nice folk about. 
    Devon.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    edited August 2020
    have lost my tomato ketchup receipe, the only ones I can find on-line say store in the fridge eat within 7 days, mine, you could store for a year, like chutney, got the glut, jars out, and where is the blasted receipe!!  Anyone on here, (course you do) have a nice one to share
    I use the Pam Corbin one from the River Cottage preserves book. It's delicious. You can make it store for a year if you heat treat it when you bottle it. If you haven't got the book, it's really worth the investment. I use it for all sorts of stuff.

    The ketchup is made from roasted tomato passata:
    2kg tomatoes, 200g shallots or onions thinly sliced, 3-4garlic cloves thinly sliced, oregano, thyme, basil or rosemary (or a mixture), 1tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1tsp sugar, 50ml olive oil (or another oil). Halve the tomatoes, spread them out on a tray cut side up, chuck the other ingredients over and roast at 180degC for about an hour. Rub them through a sieve (or use a mouli if you have one). You can just bottle the passata. It's great for all sorts - pasta etc.

    But if you want ketchup:
    Then use 1 litre of the passata with 100ml cider vinegar, 50ml lemon juice, 1tsp celery salt, 1tsp mustard powder, 1tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp ground cloves 100g demerara sugar. Put the passata and other ingredients except sugar in a preserving pan and bring to simmering point then add the sugar and stir until it's dissolved. Simmer for another 30 minutes or so until it's thick enough and bottle it in warm sterilised bottles.

    Like that, it'll keep for about 4 months (in the fridge once opened). If you want it to keep for a year you need to heat treat them as you seal them - she suggests a water bath method i.e. put them on a trivet in a deep pan of water and bring it to a simmer (88degC) and keep it simmering for 20 minutes. It's tricky to find a pan deep enough for bottles, but you can of course put it in a jar and use a spoon to serve - much easier to sterilise.

    There's a lot more info in the book on sterilising etc.


    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Evening all.   :)

    Glad your results are negative, @punkdoc - long may that continue...

    Hugs back, @AuntyRach.  It's tough... today I'm wearing my late Mum's favourite blouse, which reminds me of her in happier times.  It takes a long time to peel back the layers of memory to set aside the person dementia made her, and completely reinstate the lovely, capable, caring woman she used to be.

    @floralies - do please use us as a sounding board, whenever you think it might help.  You definitely have more than your fair share of worries and problems... thinking of you and your family.  
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    Hi folks.  Sorry to hear your sad news @floralies, 2020 just doesn't seem to be your year, rant away no-one on here minds.  I've been doing my fair share recently, just lately everything seems to be going from bad to worse.
    Mind you I did have a good day with the grandchildren today.  We had heavy rain overnight but the sun shone for most of today.  The rain has returned this evening but I don't really mind as the garden needs it.
    Will be finishing Hubby's packing tomorrow as he is off to Turkey on Tuesday.  Their Covid rating is very low so he should be fine but if the situation changes he will just have to isolate when he returns.
    Nothing like cuddling a puppy to cheer you up @AuntyRach I often miss my westies when I'm feeling low.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Hello all, I've had a good day in the garden, deadheading, watering, picked tomatoes and pulled carrots. I thought i had better throw the fish in our pond some food as they seem to have been on short rations lately, lovely to still see the tadpoles (toads) still in the pond, they must have decided to stay on and not bother growing legs at the moment! Hugs to everyone, lovely peeps on this forum.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Night night folks
     ((hugs to all)) 😘 😴 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Good morning all 😊 ... coffee’s on its way ☕️ ☕️ ☕️ 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Morning @Dovefromabove. No tea????
    Devon.
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