The past month or so has really been magnificently busy. I've been away on a business trip to Italy with Taste Local (I will talk more about this on another blog) and I've been busy like a bee in the Kitchen getting everything ready for my Christmas products. Not only have I been making Christmas delights, but I've also been harvesting and using autumnal produce.
Autumn is such a beautiful month; the leaves turn to orange and red and the evenings get darker and colder, and beautiful food is all around us. I picked my first pumpkin two weeks ago (I say pick; what I mean is that my Dad and his strimmer tore the poor vegetable from the main plant) and although it isn't a giant, I'm sure it will be delicious. I'm going to use this one to make a Spiced Autumn Chutney, and mix it with some apples from the orchard and perhaps some raisins and crushed coriander seeds. There are several other pumpkins in the garden, so I may try and make some Pumpkin Jam. Hopefully in time for Halloween!
The apple trees in the garden have flourished this year; I've had about 20kg, perhaps more, from them. I've made some beautiful Spiced Apple Chutney which is part of my Cheeseboard selection, and I've also juiced the sweeter apples to use as a base for my Spiced Winter Jelly, and other jellies from Oscar's Menu.
My grandfather has a Hamburg grape vine in his garden, which is situated on a south facing wall and so explodes every year with huge black grapes. With a stroke of luck, he happens to be away on a cruise for the next two weeks and so is unable to use the grapes himself (such a pity!). I collected a bag the other day, probably about 4kg, and made some Grape Jelly. The colour is divine; its a dark, purple colour with a hint of red. It looks like wine, and tastes superb. This would be perfect on its own on fresh bread, or even used to make a decadent sauce or gravy.
Winter produce is beginning to appear too; chestnuts, plums, cranberries, clementine's. These have all been incorporated into my Christmas Product Menu as I feel that they are the essence of Christmas flavours. If only there was a way to make a chutney out of a turkey, then I would have Christmas in a jar!
So, Oscar's Christmas Products Menu looks like this;
Small Hamper - 6 products at £28
Large Hamper - 9 products at £38
Christmas Day Chutney - an orange and cranberry relish
Boxing Day Chutney - apple, pear and dried apricot chutney with crushed coriander seeds
Cranberry, Orange and Port Sauce
Sweet Pickled Onions
Pickled Red Cabbage
Spiced Winter Jelly
Clementine Marmalade
Mulled Plum Jam
Sweet Chestnut Preserve
Peppermint Creams
Candied Clementines
There are also 1lb jars of Traditional Mincemeat available, as are the following gift boxes, which are £10 each and beautifully presented in a craft box with ribbon and straw:
For The Cheeseboard
- Caramelised Red Onion Chutney
- Spiced Apple Chutney
- Roast Garlic, Shallot and Balsamic Jam
Christmas Gift Box
- Christmas Day Chutney
- Boxing Day Chutney
- Cranberry, Port and Orange Sauce
Christmas Sweets
- Mulled Plum Jam
- Sweet Chestnut Jam
- Clementine Marmalade
I love Christmas; the food, the smells, the snow (if we're lucky) and obviously the presents!
Wishing that everyone is well,
Ruth and Oscar
x
