Progress in the Veggie Garden

This morning, Lea and I planted the 'late' Sava potatoes - and we removed the protective plastic from the Hamlet rows, as, hopefully, we shall not get any more frost, now.

The blueberry bushes seem to thrive right now - all ready to pop some leaves.

I am very satisfied with the weed cloth and layer of mulch we have applied around the bushes, and I think we may have to do the same with the North and East edges of the veggie garden, to prevent grass and goutweed/ground elder to spread into it.






















As always when in the garden, Bella was keeping me company (and craving being petted).

It is a nice thing to have an animal so devoted to be around you - I can always count on her being around when I have work to do outside - especially in the backyard, under the big trees.

Celebratiing Midwinter

La Chandeleur, Candlemass, or as we say in Denmark Kyndelmisse or Kjørmes. One of my Facebook friends posted about the French tradition of eating crêpes on La Chandeleur, and I was planning to whip up some batter and bake some for dessert - but then I somehow came across an article about the tradition here on Funen - Eating heavy pancakes with æbleflæsk ('applebacon' is the best word I can think of).

A sucker for history and old traditions, of course I had to find a recipe and serve this dish for my family!

Thus, today's menu was pumpkin soup with creme fraiche, and kjørmespandekager med æbleflæsk.

Anna took over baking the pancakes, so I had plenty time to take a couple of photos, and see to the 'applebacon'.

I really like this dish - the pancake batter contains cinnamon, which complements the apples, and the acid and lard of the 'applebacon' balance each other nicely.

It is a heavy dish, though, better not served on a hot day - but on a winter's evening like today: Great!

If I had had a nice cold dark beer, it would have topped up the experience, but I shall just have to remember that for the next time!

Lemon-Elderflower Aquavit

I seem to have completely forgotten that I had put the excess lemon slices from the elderflower juice mash in jars with vodka.

I sort of expected the stuff to turn rather bitter/sour, and to have to sweeten it, but it has turned out to be one of the best schnappses I have made, yet.

It is not going to be the last time I use this 'recipe', that's for sure!

Got Myself a Nice Sideboard

Today, we went to the permanent flea market in Kirkeby, and I found this sideboard, perfect for the purpose I needed it for.

For a long time, I have been wanting a place in the basement to put my schnapps away, and as it should be kept in the dark both while extracting and maturing, it needed to be something with doors.

I got the thing for DKK 250,- (about £30), and I am very happy with it!

As seen below, I only use two of the three sections - the last one is now used for storing homemade marmelades/jams and pickles like pickled beets, cornichons, and pickled gherkins-

This has freed up a lot of shelf space in the bar cabinet, the kitchen, and the basement, and I think my wife is rather chuffed by the arrangement, too!

Add to that, that I now have a much better overview over my WIP schnapps, as well as the bottles with the finished product, and this is an all over win-win!

Got My Apple Tree

I have been wanting to plant a Spartan apple tree ever since we moved here six years ago, I just did not have a suitable place to put it, until I cleared the bushes away in the front yard.

We went to the horticultural nursery in Magtenbølle near Vissenbjerg west of Odense this morning, and while my wife picked out some plants for the new beds, I picked my own first Spartan tree.

It was planted right after lunch. and I also put a short pole in the ground next to it to act as support (the soil has to settle, before we tie an old nylon stocking to it).

I cannot wait to taste the ripe apples from that tree, as we had an Spartan tree at home in my parents' garden, and the fruits from that are easily the nicest apples I have tasted in my 50½ years on this green planet! Thus, I hope that it will bear fruit next summer - we now have three apple trees in the front yard, and plenty of flower-bearing plants to make bees and other insects be present in sufficient numbers to ensure pollination.

Well, fingers are crossed, and for the first time in many years I look forward to autumn just as much as to summer!