Winter Has Arrived
First of all my apologies for my absence recently. I somehow managed to get a nasty virus on my pc, which resulted in the whole system needing to be reformatted. I'm not sure how it happened because I use a range of up to date security software, but I suppose there is always something that can slip through.
On the kitchen garden front, it is safe to say winter has well and truly arrived in Yorkshire. This week we have had a succession of thick frosts, which do make everywhere look delightful, rather like a scene from a Christmas card. On the downside, it is also extremely cold, and gardening is difficult because the ground is so hard. I'm waiting for a warmer spell before I venture out to do any work.
Well, the weather may not be suitable for gardening, but there is plenty to do indoors. You could follow the advice in my previous post, and start an indoor herb garden. This is a great way to have access to your favourite herbs all winter long. Alternatively, spend a comfy evening by the fire, armed with a notebook and a selection of your favourite gardening catalogues, and make some plans for next years crops. Begin by detailing what you grew this year, how it worked out, and so on. Now, plan next years harvest. List all the 'regulars', in other words crops you grow from year to year. Then, choose a few new varieties. They say variety is the spice of life, and this applies in the garden too. If you are feeling artistic, why not draw up a plan, detailing what you will grow and where. You can do this with a pencil and paper, or try a purpose made garden design software package. Type garden design software into your favourite search engine and see what comes up. You may even be lucky enough to find a good quality freebie, there are some out there.
I'll leave you with a kitchen tip. Cabbage is one of my favourite winter vegetables, but it's not always that popular with children. There are two ways I have found to get my kiddiwinks to eat cabbage. The first is to use a firm white cabbage, chopped up finely and made into coleslaw. The second is for cooked cabbage, try adding a teaspoon of mint and a sprinkling of black pepper to the cooking water. It reduces the cabbage taste which many children find overpowering.
And if you would like a recipe for coleslaw, this is mine:
1 white cabbage (chopped finely)
2 apples (sliced)
2 carrots (grated)
6 tbs mayonnaise (add more if you require a moister texture)
1 tbs vinegar
sprinkling of black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and chill in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes or until needed.