Yellow Bullace Jam.

Just look at the colour, isn't it magnificent? That's something of a relief as the fruit looked suspiciously dark once it had defrosted. It's got a very sharp, tangy flavour which I really like in a jam and also makes it useful from a culinary point of view. Warmed and mixed with a bit of white wine vinegar, garlic and chilli it would make a lovely, Chinese style, pouring sauce for tuna or pork.

Anyhoo, the recipe:

2 kilos yellow bullace
2.5 kilos sugar
water.

Put the bullace (with stones) into a large pan and add some water to stop them sticking. As my fruit were frozen they gave out their juice readily and didn't need much water, if you're using fresh, keep a close eye at this stage, adding more if needed to keep the fruit at a runny consistency.

When the fruit has collapsed, take the pan off the heat and skim off the stones. I used a slotted spoon, put the stones into a sieve and rubbed them around the sieve to release any juice or flesh still clinging to them.

Add the sugar and stir til dissolved, then boil steadily til setting point is reached. Spoon into hot jars and seal. Makes about 10 jars.

Hectic Sunday.

We have worked so hard today. First of all, Adam and I scrubbed the hen house with Jeyes fluid. I've never used the stuff before but I like the retro yet ruthlessly efficient vibe it has going on. The smell took me straight back to my Great Gran's kitchen so I guess she was a fan too. We're using it as insecticide in the coop but it can also do a myriad of other things like freshen the drains or, my favourite, keep the waterbutt smelling nice. I've sploshed 5ml into our waterbutt so we'll see if it works.

Adam is, as I write, finishing off painting the coop, another anti bug measure but the smart new look is a welcome added benefit.

I've been busy making strawberry jam and when the children are in bed later I'll do a batch of raspberry - boiling sugar and a curious 2 year old are not a good combination. Then tomorrow it'll be a batch of raspberry and gooseberry and some gooseberry chutney.

It's also been a scorching hot, humid day so we're all grubby, sweaty and exhausted. I think I'll sneak out shortly and buy a few cold beers as a surprise for Adam as I think he's earned them but then so have I, think I may have to help him to drink them!

Today's bounty, neither foraged nor grown.

Debatable whether it warrants a mention on the blog really! This morning started with a visit to Rachel to collect her very kindly donated courgette plant. It's now sitting in the back garden, fully potted up and licking it's wounds in a sulky kind of way. Fingers crossed it makes it through the night. She also very kindly gave me a couple of courgettes and a pumpkin. I'm toying with the idea of pumpkin chutney if I can find a recipe.

The chickens have had a preliminary scrub, they were kicked out of the coop early this morning while it was pressure washed. Tomorrow we break out the Jeyes fluid, anti mite spray and diotoms, the lucky, lucky birds.

Then it was on to Paddock Farm Shop in Mulbarton which is a charming farm shop/butchers/PYO fruit farm. It's a lovely shop, idyllic spot, yummy cakes and cheese and chutney tastings, what more could a girl want? I've decided that when I grow up I want a fruit farm, definitely my fantasy job.

However, it's all too easy to forget we're not foraging and have to actually pay for this stuff. We picked and picked and picked (and ate and ate and ate) then got a shock at the till. Going on last year's experience it should hopefully be enough for around 20 1lb jars of jam so I have my work cut out for the next couple of days.

The strawberry/raspberry jam is the pinnacle of my jam making year, very much a treat that we're happy to pay for. Later in the year we'll pick wild fruit which is the rather more workaday backbone of the jam store. No less tasty but certainly cheaper and rather more plentiful.

Proms in the Park

I recently remembered that this blog is called Norfolk Kitchen. So far I've not written anything about the activity which takes place in my kitchen but I'm about to put that right.

On Saturday we went to Proms in the Park in Diss. It's one of those slightly bonkers yet quintessentially English events which involves waiting for the rain to start then sitting out in it for a few hours while eating a damp picnic, sipping warm white wine in plastic cups and shouting "BANG!" at the appropriate place in the 1812 overture. This year we rang the changes by sneakily trying out the groovy new play equipment on the park whilst somewhat (cough) inebriated.

We started the picnic with a selection of rare breed pork pies from Fredrick's Fine Foods accompanied by my plum chutney (plums foraged nearby), rhubarb chutney (rhubarb from my Father in Law's garden) and banana chutney (bananas foraged from Morrisons 'reduced but still fresh!' section). The plum has matured nicely since last Autumn and the flavour has improved considerably, rhubarb is as nice as when it was made, I was somewhat disappointed with the banana though, it was delicious when I made it but the banana chunks have gone sort of hard and strange over time. Might have to ditch my store of banana chutney I think.

Next were home made scones (pictured) with last year's Bramble jelly, Quince jelly and clotted cream. Bramble is my favourite, it always astonishes me that such a humble little hedgerow fruit can transform into into such a sophisticated preserve. We're also lucky enough to have a Quince tree growing wild nearby which supplies us with Quince jelly and Membrillo.

Finally, we managed to cram in a slice or two of Delia's ultimate carrot cake (pictured), ably made by Adam and decorated with the remains of last year's foraged walnuts.

I'm now carefully avoiding the scales, I dread to think how much weight I've put on over the weekend, must dig out my running shoes tomorrow.