Sewing, stitching, baking, cooking, gardening, shopping and general homemaking.

Monday 23 August 2010

Baking, Stitching and Other Stuff

We had a few day in Norfolk last week.  The weather was quite good considering the really crap August we've had.  I did get a trip out to Taverham, I wanted some Milliners needles and some Christmas card making supplies but couldn't find either but did end up buying stuff from the kitchen shop.  Several years ago I bought a Silverline cake tin, then I bought extra dividers for it (it's one of those tins that you can slot in the sides to make different size cakes).  But, the extra dividers were for the new, bigger sized tin, so I had to buy that too.  Plus I bought some preserving jars.  I'd used up all the recycled jars I had and the ones a friend had given me because of my chutney making.  As well as the rhubarb chutney I've made tomato & marrow and plum & damson.  The damsons were from my own tree, it's the first year this tree has actually produced fruit.  Usually it gets infested with some sort of pest and doesn't do very well.  I don't like spraying pests but this year I just had to, of course I used a spray that wouldn't harm birds but I still felt guilty for doing it.  We did get a few damsons though

We made these Apple & Apricot Treacle Tart Bars today, that dark bit around the edge is lovely and chewy due to the syrup that was in the topping, delicious!  It's got a shortcake base, apple, apricot and sugar stewed together (then pureed) in the middle and is topped with orange zest and juice, syrup and oats.  It was quite a time consuming recipe to do but tastes lovely.

While we were away I stitched this little embroidery, it's to cover the lid of a storage jar for my craft room.  I wanted to do this one because I wanted to stitch some bees, just got to put it on the lid now.

5 comments:

Gillie said...

I think I'm going to complain to Blogger about your delicious pictures, lol! I really wish I lived closer - you'd be fed up with me always knocking on the door at teatime! Love the bees too!

Melissa Price said...

What lovely little bees, Ann! Sure do wish I lived next door to you so you could give me some stitching pointers... and share those fabulous looking bars.

It's still an insane 98 degrees F today and I don't know how much longer I can take it. (Remind me I said this when I'm whining about the cold!) I'm praying we get some cooler weather VERY soon. I can't even think about planting my fall garden yet. : ) Melissa

Berit said...

It sounds so delicious and home-cooked! :D

Those bees are adorable; looking forward to seeing them on that jar!

nic @ nipitinthebud said...

chewy flapjack is the only kind worth making. Bet it's lovely with the apricots.
You'll be able to make spiced damson chutney for Graham then :o) that'll keep you in his good books for a while {wink}

Peggy said...

Hi Ann, you have been so busy as usual! I love the little jar top with the bees, they should be your your emblem busy as a bee! I had a lovely few days in Robert's Cove scrubbed the outside of the mobile, cut the grass and stained the garden furniture but also managed to read 2 books and finish a bottle of wine.No cooking just made salads or a sandwich when my stomach reminded me I had not eaten.