In Daisy Cottage I have now realised we also have damson trees. I had never really seen the fruit dark and had only seen them green, and not being a gardener, hadn't realised these hard green nuggets would turn into juicy damsons. That said, perhaps they never ripened before in our time in Daisy Cottage? My husband just googled the fruit and it seems that 2009 has been a major crop year for damsons.
If the garden in Daisy Cottage keeps cropping me delicious apples and now damsons, I can see I am going to have to become Mrs. Beeton. Or, better, Donegal's domestic goddess!
It's times like this that I wish I'd listened, observed and learned more from my father who was brilliant at making jams. Luckily I still remember most of how he went about it but after my experience making apply jelly last year, I think I need to adjust my sugar content. I created the most perfectly clear apple jelly with one major downfall ~ it was way too sweet.
So now I will have to pick as many damsons as I can get and set to with my jam making.
Pass me a pinny ...
Friday 16 October 2009
GIVE ME SPOTS ON MY APPLES ...
In Daisy Cottage last week we noticed the apple trees had lots of big, fat rosy apples just ready for picking. The branches are a bit high just to reach the apples, and shaking the tree was getting us nowhere. My husband had the idea of using the rake we had been clearing leaves with and started to pull down branches to shake off some apples. It was slightly chaotic in that apples were springing off their branches at random and had health & safety rules applied, we would almost certainly have been required to wear hard hats. But we threw caution to the wind and went with our improvised idea to get the apples. Dodging about ensured there were no injuries, and when we decided we had enough apples released, I gathered them to take home to cook.
Looking at them, I thought they weren't the prettiest apples in that they weren't all shiney and perfect but rather, had spots and imperfections. But then they ARE organic and so I can do without the perfection to enjoy a chemical free apple. And that reminded my of the Joni Mitchell song, 'Big Yellow Taxi':
"Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT now
Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees, please
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot "
(To listen to the song, click on the heading at the start of this post).
So I took the apples home and now I have lots of organic cooking apples to think up dishes to put in. Yes, of course I will do apple crumble and possibly apple pie too (and maybe even apple jelly if I gather enough apples next time) but I decided to try something different and made an apple sponge. I've never made this dish let alone sponge before so the fact that it was edible was something of a miracle. Added to that I didn't bother finding a recipe and just made it up as I went.
I peeled and sliced the apples, which are delicious I have to say, tart but with a touch of sweetness and bursting with a flavour only achieved by such freshness. I buttered a ring bound tray and put the apple slices, sprinkled with a little sugar, into the tray to a depth of about 2 to 3 inches to allow for cooking shrinkage.
Then I made up a sponge mixture and put this in on top of the apples. Into the oven for 40 minutes and and removed from the oven and allowed to cool. After running a knife around the edge to make sure the sponge was not stuck, I clicked open the ring around the tray, put another flat tray on top and flipped over. Perfect. And, much to my delighted surprise, it all stayed together ~ I had expected it might just spread out like warm jelly.
And to finish off the dish, I made some homemade custard. Real comfort food which was enjoyed by all and afterwards we sat around like very happy cats who'd got the cream. Or in this case, cats who'd got the custard.
.JPG)
Looking at them, I thought they weren't the prettiest apples in that they weren't all shiney and perfect but rather, had spots and imperfections. But then they ARE organic and so I can do without the perfection to enjoy a chemical free apple. And that reminded my of the Joni Mitchell song, 'Big Yellow Taxi':
"Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT now
Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees, please
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot "
(To listen to the song, click on the heading at the start of this post).
So I took the apples home and now I have lots of organic cooking apples to think up dishes to put in. Yes, of course I will do apple crumble and possibly apple pie too (and maybe even apple jelly if I gather enough apples next time) but I decided to try something different and made an apple sponge. I've never made this dish let alone sponge before so the fact that it was edible was something of a miracle. Added to that I didn't bother finding a recipe and just made it up as I went.
I peeled and sliced the apples, which are delicious I have to say, tart but with a touch of sweetness and bursting with a flavour only achieved by such freshness. I buttered a ring bound tray and put the apple slices, sprinkled with a little sugar, into the tray to a depth of about 2 to 3 inches to allow for cooking shrinkage.
Then I made up a sponge mixture and put this in on top of the apples. Into the oven for 40 minutes and and removed from the oven and allowed to cool. After running a knife around the edge to make sure the sponge was not stuck, I clicked open the ring around the tray, put another flat tray on top and flipped over. Perfect. And, much to my delighted surprise, it all stayed together ~ I had expected it might just spread out like warm jelly.
And to finish off the dish, I made some homemade custard. Real comfort food which was enjoyed by all and afterwards we sat around like very happy cats who'd got the cream. Or in this case, cats who'd got the custard.
.JPG)
Sunday 16 August 2009
OLD FRIENDS & COINCIDENCES
The Great Outdoors Under Cover
On Saturday we were sitting outside in the G.O.U.C. (the Great Outdoors Under Cover), as the gazebo/patio is called, awaiting the arrival of our Spanish guests. The big back gate was open as my husband had just arrived back to Daisy Cottage after a trip to Killybegs.
So we sat there chatting and enjoying the afternoon sunshine when suddenly a lady whizzed in the back gate, ran into the house calling my name, swiftly followed by the arrival of two cars into the adjoining yard.
I said to my husband 'I think that's J...' (a lovely lady who once taught me - or tried to - over 20 years ago!). Puzzled we stepped forward to see what was going on, it being all slightly comedic. The people got out of the cars and they were our Spanish guests. The lady (J) appeared back out of the house where she had been calling my name. It was just lovely to see her and we hugged and said a big hello whilst the Spanish people stood watching. I assumed the Spanish guests were friends/relations of hers. Wrongly, it turned out.
J. had been in the village butchers doing some shopping and one of the Spanish guests had gone in to ask directions to Daisy Cottage, mentioning my name. And J said she'd show them ~ in small villages everyone knows everyone which is what makes them special. It seems she lives just around the corner from Daisy Cottage though I had not realised. And wasn't it a great coincidence that the Spanish guest wandered into the butchers just at the moment someone who knew my name was there.
It was a great ice breaker for our new guests and we all had a giggle about it. J.then waved them goodbye and wished them a happy holiday. Just as the rain started! But they were such a happy crowd I'm sure a drizzle of Irish liquid sunshine wasn't going to ruin their holiday.
And after spending half an hour or so showing them round and how to use the various equipment, my husband and I left them to it. And I got lots of kisses from them. I've said it before, and I hope I will say it many times into the future, but I just love our Daisy Cottage guests!
And speaking of lovely guests, last weeks, as have others, left the house gleeming ~ they even cleaned the oven and washed all the downstairs floors ~ a job I had said I hated while they were admiring the black and white tiles on arrival. How nice was that! They called themselves the 'Daisy Cottage Gang' and they were yet another group brilliant guests to Daisy Cottage.
On Saturday we were sitting outside in the G.O.U.C. (the Great Outdoors Under Cover), as the gazebo/patio is called, awaiting the arrival of our Spanish guests. The big back gate was open as my husband had just arrived back to Daisy Cottage after a trip to Killybegs.
So we sat there chatting and enjoying the afternoon sunshine when suddenly a lady whizzed in the back gate, ran into the house calling my name, swiftly followed by the arrival of two cars into the adjoining yard.
I said to my husband 'I think that's J...' (a lovely lady who once taught me - or tried to - over 20 years ago!). Puzzled we stepped forward to see what was going on, it being all slightly comedic. The people got out of the cars and they were our Spanish guests. The lady (J) appeared back out of the house where she had been calling my name. It was just lovely to see her and we hugged and said a big hello whilst the Spanish people stood watching. I assumed the Spanish guests were friends/relations of hers. Wrongly, it turned out.
J. had been in the village butchers doing some shopping and one of the Spanish guests had gone in to ask directions to Daisy Cottage, mentioning my name. And J said she'd show them ~ in small villages everyone knows everyone which is what makes them special. It seems she lives just around the corner from Daisy Cottage though I had not realised. And wasn't it a great coincidence that the Spanish guest wandered into the butchers just at the moment someone who knew my name was there.
It was a great ice breaker for our new guests and we all had a giggle about it. J.then waved them goodbye and wished them a happy holiday. Just as the rain started! But they were such a happy crowd I'm sure a drizzle of Irish liquid sunshine wasn't going to ruin their holiday.
And after spending half an hour or so showing them round and how to use the various equipment, my husband and I left them to it. And I got lots of kisses from them. I've said it before, and I hope I will say it many times into the future, but I just love our Daisy Cottage guests!
And speaking of lovely guests, last weeks, as have others, left the house gleeming ~ they even cleaned the oven and washed all the downstairs floors ~ a job I had said I hated while they were admiring the black and white tiles on arrival. How nice was that! They called themselves the 'Daisy Cottage Gang' and they were yet another group brilliant guests to Daisy Cottage.
FRESH FISH & VEG & HOMEMADE SAUSAGES
The Fish Van on Killybegs Pier
We stayed in Daisy Cottage for a couple of days this week before our current guests arrived and I just love the availability of fresh fish down there. We drove over to the fishing port of Killybegs (9km) to get some fish for dinner. We were spoilt for choice with all the locally caught fish, the only fish on sale not caught locally was the sea bass. We went for the brill.
Lots of Choice
Baby Potatoes & Carrots
Over then to the fruit & veg seller a few steps away where I got some beautiful new potatoes, courgette, chilli pepper, carrots, mange tout, and French beans. I also got some perfect plums and nectarines and a few lemons & limes (lemons for the fish, and both for the pre-dinner g&t!).
Of course I couldn't resist taking pics when I was there and spent a lovely half hour just snapping away at the boats in the harbour and the sea birds flying around.
SEAGULLS RESTING ON AN OLD BOAT, KILLYBEGS HARBOUR
+OLD+BOAT.jpg)
Back home to Daisy Cottage and I cleaned and chopped all the veg and half the chilli to make a stir fry of veg to accompany the fish. I boiled the baby potatoes in their very fine skins too. To cook the brill I simply heated the oven, laid them out on a baking tray and drizzled with olive oil and the fresh juice from one of the lemons, a quick grind of black pepper and into the oven. They cooked in minutes and the whole meal was delicious. I had taken a bit of a chance doing just nicely hot from the chilli stir fried veg but they went beautifully with the brill and didn't overwhelm it at all.
Brill Cooked with Olive Oil & Fresh Lemon Juice
Stir Fried Vegetables
Baby Potatoes
On Thursdays and Fridays there is a fish van in the village so the next morning my husband walked over to the van and bough some luscious looking sea trout. We've stopped eating trout for years because it had become such a disappointment and lost it's flavour, but this was sensational. Once again I just laid the fish out in a baking tray with olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper, and as these were a bit meatier than the previous evenings brill, took a little longer to cook but still only a short time and came out just perfect ~ firm but moist. I had some courgette left and half the chilli so did a spaghetti of courget with a kick of chilli and used the remainder of my baby pototoes, this time lightly boiled and then finished off in the oven to crisp up the light skin. Delicious.
Fresh Sea Trout
Whilst at the van, my husband bought some fresh prawns too. I love prawns and these were delicious just with a little lemon juice.
We treated ourselves to a full Irish breakfast one of the mornings and bought some fabulous bacon and homemade sausages from the butchers in the village. Added to that some good quality black pudding, tomatoes, and free range eggs (all bought from the said butchers). A brunch feast!
Dunkineely is a great place to stay if you are a bit of a foodie and I think I have managed to get all the utensils & pans needed to help produce a meal into the kitchen of Daisy Cottage. It helps hugely to actually use the kitchen to double check that everything needed is there and so far I think I've it covered.
We stayed in Daisy Cottage for a couple of days this week before our current guests arrived and I just love the availability of fresh fish down there. We drove over to the fishing port of Killybegs (9km) to get some fish for dinner. We were spoilt for choice with all the locally caught fish, the only fish on sale not caught locally was the sea bass. We went for the brill.
Lots of Choice
Baby Potatoes & Carrots
Over then to the fruit & veg seller a few steps away where I got some beautiful new potatoes, courgette, chilli pepper, carrots, mange tout, and French beans. I also got some perfect plums and nectarines and a few lemons & limes (lemons for the fish, and both for the pre-dinner g&t!).
Of course I couldn't resist taking pics when I was there and spent a lovely half hour just snapping away at the boats in the harbour and the sea birds flying around.
SEAGULLS RESTING ON AN OLD BOAT, KILLYBEGS HARBOUR
+OLD+BOAT.jpg)
Back home to Daisy Cottage and I cleaned and chopped all the veg and half the chilli to make a stir fry of veg to accompany the fish. I boiled the baby potatoes in their very fine skins too. To cook the brill I simply heated the oven, laid them out on a baking tray and drizzled with olive oil and the fresh juice from one of the lemons, a quick grind of black pepper and into the oven. They cooked in minutes and the whole meal was delicious. I had taken a bit of a chance doing just nicely hot from the chilli stir fried veg but they went beautifully with the brill and didn't overwhelm it at all.
Brill Cooked with Olive Oil & Fresh Lemon Juice
Stir Fried Vegetables
Baby Potatoes
On Thursdays and Fridays there is a fish van in the village so the next morning my husband walked over to the van and bough some luscious looking sea trout. We've stopped eating trout for years because it had become such a disappointment and lost it's flavour, but this was sensational. Once again I just laid the fish out in a baking tray with olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper, and as these were a bit meatier than the previous evenings brill, took a little longer to cook but still only a short time and came out just perfect ~ firm but moist. I had some courgette left and half the chilli so did a spaghetti of courget with a kick of chilli and used the remainder of my baby pototoes, this time lightly boiled and then finished off in the oven to crisp up the light skin. Delicious.
Fresh Sea Trout
Whilst at the van, my husband bought some fresh prawns too. I love prawns and these were delicious just with a little lemon juice.
We treated ourselves to a full Irish breakfast one of the mornings and bought some fabulous bacon and homemade sausages from the butchers in the village. Added to that some good quality black pudding, tomatoes, and free range eggs (all bought from the said butchers). A brunch feast!
Dunkineely is a great place to stay if you are a bit of a foodie and I think I have managed to get all the utensils & pans needed to help produce a meal into the kitchen of Daisy Cottage. It helps hugely to actually use the kitchen to double check that everything needed is there and so far I think I've it covered.
Sunday 9 August 2009
DONEGAL ~ BEST WEATHER IN IRELAND!
Again!
July 2009 was the wettest on record for over 50 years in many parts of Ireland but according the Met Eireann, Donegal had the least rainfall. And the most hours of sunshine!
Years ago, Donegal was very wet and dull a lot of the time but in the past 20 years this has changed and now we in Donegal have blue skies and sunshine when other parts are deluged with rain.
Forget the "sunny south east" folks, it's now the sunny north west!
Thursday 6 August 2009
HOLIDAY RENTAL HOMES ARE HARD WORK!
I love our Daisy Cottage and to date we have delightful guests but boy, is keeping a holiday home for rental hard work!
Every Saturday it means (for me), stripping 4 single beds, 2 double beds and a king size bed. Then making them all up again with sheets, duvet covers & pillow cases (20!) that I have spent the previous week washing, drying & ironing. Not to mention 20 bath sheets, 20 hand towels, 20 face/wash cloths, 7 tea towels, and 12 bath towels.
After that every room ~ 5 bedrooms, living room, kitchen/diner must be dusted and the skirting boards, doors, and door handles (yes, door handles ~ I blame my OCD) must be wiped. The the floors all hoovered and washed. Did I say all drawers inside checked & dusted? Well, them too. Back to washing the floors, I had been washing the floors with my old fashioned mop because I favour them best BUT I have discovered a new flat mop contraption which you change the cloth on each time. It is brilliant at washing and almost drying the floor as I go.
The all the windows inside have to be washed and polished. Then all the en suites (3) and bathroom (1) to be washed from top to bottom. After washing the loo I even have a 'bathroom duster' and spray the seat and lid with spray polish and shine with my 'bathroom duster'. And the taps and loo handles polished. And finally in those rooms I have discovered that very pale tiles on bathroom floors are totally unforgiving of a mop and so it's down on my hands and knees to wash the floors. I will end up with housmaids knee!!!
Then the landing and stairs carpet hoovered ~ NEVER buy a cherry red carpet if you have to be fussy about hoovering! It is a nightmare. I was warned, but would I listen? As indeed I was warned about Egyptian cotton sheets, but did I listen then either?
After the bedrooms upstairs and the bedroom downstairs & en suites and bathroom, it's into the living room where the ashes have to be lifted (although some of our guests have left the fire clean for me, something I really appreciate). All the sofas have to be dusted and polished, top, front & back. Then the tv unit, tv, coffee table, side table & bookstand & display cabinet dusted and polished. And the lamps & shades. Floor hoovered, mat taken outside and shaken, floor washed. Door glass polished.
Then out to the kitchen/diner. Cupboards dusted, any dishes in dishwasher put away. I am so lucky so far in that all our guests have left neither dirty dishes nor dirty saucepans ~ another thing I greatly appreciate. Drawers & utensils checked and cleaned. Fridge/freezer cleaned and doors, & handles polished and dishwasher front & top polished. Table washed. Chairs dusted. Placemats washed and dried. Work top polished. (Can you imagine how blooming wrecked I am feeling when I get this far?).
And then the very, very worst job of all. Washing my beautiful classic black and white tiled hall & kitchen/diner floor. I have a love/hate relationship with these tiles. I love to look at them but they are a total nightmare to wash! And get dried! I am sorely tempted to cover them with wood and be done with it but the love side of me won't let me.
Out back to check the Great Outdoors Under Cover (paved & covered gazebo patio area), the games loft, and the bins. Finally downstairs windows washed and polished and the front door too if I get a chance.
And after all that, it's back home to begin 3 days of washing & ironing of sheets, duvets, pillow cases. And washing towels, bath sheets, teatowels.
I never realised how hard work keeping a house this size so spick and span would be! I want a cleanaholic house cleaner!
But for all the work, I love our Daisy Cottage and it's atmosphere and I enjoy meeting our guests so it's all good.
Thursday 16 July 2009
HIDDEN GEMS ON THE EDGE BUS TOUR
THE HIDDEN GEMS ON THE EDGE BUS TOUR
Silver Strand, Malinbeg ~ One of the stop offs on the tour
I have just been speaking to a lady in Killybegs and she told me of new bus tour just starting there. The tour goes out 5 days a week (Sunday and Monday excluded) and leaves Killybegs at 11 am, which ties in with the bus to Killybegs from Donegal Town (and Dunkineely) which arrives into Killybegs at 10.15 am allowing plenty of time to buy tickets for the tour.
The tour takes the coast road from Killybegs and stops off at various scenic points along the way to allow photographs to be taken. The tour visits Muckross, the Silver Strand, Carrick, Glencolmcille (stopping there for a break) and on to Sliabh Liag. The entire tour takes around 4 and a half hours, arriving back in Killybegs at approximately 3.30 pm. The fare is €20 per adult, reduced rate for children and concession rates can be arranged for large groups.
To enquire/book, ring the Killybegs Tourist Office on 074-9732346 or email them at killybegstourism@gmail.com
What an excellent idea and well done to the orgainisers of the tour.
Silver Strand, Malinbeg ~ One of the stop offs on the tour
I have just been speaking to a lady in Killybegs and she told me of new bus tour just starting there. The tour goes out 5 days a week (Sunday and Monday excluded) and leaves Killybegs at 11 am, which ties in with the bus to Killybegs from Donegal Town (and Dunkineely) which arrives into Killybegs at 10.15 am allowing plenty of time to buy tickets for the tour.
The tour takes the coast road from Killybegs and stops off at various scenic points along the way to allow photographs to be taken. The tour visits Muckross, the Silver Strand, Carrick, Glencolmcille (stopping there for a break) and on to Sliabh Liag. The entire tour takes around 4 and a half hours, arriving back in Killybegs at approximately 3.30 pm. The fare is €20 per adult, reduced rate for children and concession rates can be arranged for large groups.
To enquire/book, ring the Killybegs Tourist Office on 074-9732346 or email them at killybegstourism@gmail.com
What an excellent idea and well done to the orgainisers of the tour.
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