Books Paths and Recipes

I borrowed this book from the North Fitzroy Library quite a few years ago and have been unable to track it down since. Then I thought of Amazon.com and of course they had a copy. it arrived today. It is my all time favourite pattern book. It has a wonderful chapter on washcloth patterns. I know this is a weird reason to want a pattern book but it is done so well. It also has the most gorgeous ever Daisy shawl pattern and so much else. Another bit of news is that they are digging up our front path and re-doing it in concrete. This is very sad as far as I'm concerned. The pavers are hand-made-and-laid concrete set in a diamond pattern. This was a job creation scheme after WW2 and employed many soldiers returning from the war and was the first lot of real footpaths in Bacchus Marsh. Up until then it had been mud and grassy bits. We were so proud to live in one of the streets with period houses and the original footpaths.

Until 7.30am today!
Then the bobcat dug them all up!
After some discussionat home, we agreed to rescue half a dozen and find a home for them somewhere in the garden as a sort of historic monument. Then it became apparent that they would make a really good paved path where we were going to put gravel.

I went and asked the workmen if I could have some more and they brought round forty on the bobcat and left them in the carport. We must now get up before 7.30 am tomorrow to help load as many more as we can onto the bobcat from the pavement at the other end of the road to finish off the path.

I had some requests for recipes so here are two of my popular standbys

ENGLISH PUB CHUTNEY

As I said before this is a green apple, green tomato recipe as follows

1kg Green Tomatoes, chopped (and cored if necessary)

1kg Green Apples, peeled, cored and chopped

500gm Onion, peeled and chopped.

This all goes in a large saucepan and you add to it....

250gm raisins, 500gm brown sugar, 500ml brown vinegar, 1tbs/15gm salt, 1tsp/5gm mixed spice powder and 1/2tsp/2.5gm ground ginger powder.

Stir while bringing to the boil and then chug/plop/simmer with a bit of stirring now and then for a couple of hours until it is thick and dark brown enough to suit you.

I put jars in the oven at 180degrees C for twenty minutes and then bottle the hot chutney straight into them. This saves having to process them. It makes about 8-10 250ml jars and it lasts for ever.

I'll put the marmalade one on tomorrow

Cheers Gillian