Smooth Blackcurrant Jam

I took the kittens to the vets this morning, as it had appeared Moma Cat had abandoned them. I needed some kitty formula and to have their age confirmed.

They are between 2.5 and 3 weeks old and nice and fat and healthy. Because of this the vet thinks that Moma Cat must have been secretly feeding them when I'm not around since Thursday when she brought them to me. I can't see how, but apparently they would be dead if she hadn't been, so I suppose maybe she is.

I am giving them kitty formula now, to ensure that they are eating enough in case Moma is only feeding spasmodically. But she is still hissing and growling at them.

What joy !

I am sat here writing this covered in kitty formula splashes... and it smells just like baby formula...

Yuk.

But what joy !

I spent last night (as I never have enough things to do) making some lush smooth blackcurrant jam, from fruit given to me by MM from his organic garden.

Here is my recipe...

Smooth Blackcurrant Jam




2lbs topped and tailed fresh (or frozen) Blackcurrants
3lbs white Sugar

1. Ensure the blackcurrants are clean, but if you can avoid washing them do so, as this may wash away some of the precious juice.

2. Top and tail the fruit. This means pick off the tails and baby stems.

3. Put the blackcurrants in a large bowl and tip all the sugar on top. Stir the sugar in gently to distribute it evenly.

4. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a cool place or the fridge for 48 hours. The sugar will leach out the juice from the fruit naturally.

5. Put the blackcurrants and sugar into a large, deep preserving pan (saucepan).

6. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer to melt the sugar totally. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

7. Using a hand blender, blend the jam until smooth.

8. Next put the blended smooth mixture through a fine sieve. Discard the 'bits' into the compost or rubbish.

9. Return the now smooth jam to the pan and bring the fruit to the boil rapidly, and keep at a 'rolling' boil for no more than 5 minutes.

10. After 5 minutes remove from the heat and test for 'set'. If not yet set bring back to the boil for another 3 to 5 minutes and so on.

11. It will not take very long to set. It is very fast usually.

12. Once at setting point, pour the jam into sterilised jars whilst still very hot. Fill to almost the top and put lids on straight away.

This is incredible on toast !

First Kitty Pics

Well Mona (Moma Cat) has made it quite clear that the kittens are mine now and she wants no more to do with them. She even hisses at them if I take her near them...

I held her there this evening so that they could drink. I'm not sure but maybe she is feeding them when I'm not around. They try to suck my hands and fingers, in fact any part of me. The problem is that they aren't getting much.

In the morning I will trundle to vets and get some tiny kitty formula...

Meanwhile - here are their first posing photo shoot pictures...

Cute or what ?

Shock Arrival

I was stood at the stove around lunch time, bottling the tomato ketchup I made last night, when I glanced over a few feet away from me to where my semi feral Mona Moma cat was sat squawking at me.

On the floor in front of her was a small black lump.

I walked over to her and realised that she had dumped a tiny kitten on the stone kitchen floor and was just looking at me as if to say - your turn now.

I picked it up and snuggled it warm. It was about 3 or 4 weeks old, with its eyes just about open. It was all black like its Mom.

I found a basket and put a warm towel in it, then led the kitten down in it, all snug and warm. Moma cat came and looked in, then walked off out the door.

About an hour later I walked into the kitchen and there I spotted another little black lump of fur on the floor beside Moma cat, who was waiting beside my boots. So I picked it up and put it into the basket with No 1.

Moma cat came over and jumped in, snuggled down and fell asleep.

So... considering she hasn't looked fat since she had the last kittens in April, I sat there wondering if she had nicked them from somewhere ! But, they do look like her, as both are black like the same as her... so sweet, and so wonderful...

I will sleep with the basket beside the bed, as Moma cat has gone off outside and left them in here with me for the night !

Homemade Tomato Ketchup

Tonight I am making tomato ketchup mmmmm.

I hated ketchup all my life (junk food full of chemicals). And then 2 years ago I had so many tomatoes I needed something extra to make with them. As I was involved in farmer's markets at the time, I decided to make tomato ketchup and sell it !

I never dreamt I'd want to eat it all...

Now I make enough to last me a year until next years tomato crop. Roughly double the quantities in the recipe below will supply me for the year, although I'm just one person.

I also use almost all organic ingredients, and naturally the veggies are organic as I grow most myself.

Tomato Ketchup
(Original recipe adapted from the Australian Women's Weekly)

4.5 lbs Tomatoes
2 medium Onions
8oz White Sugar
4.5 fluid ounces Red Wine Vinegar (just over half a cup)
1 tablespoon thick Tomato Puree
2 teaspoons coarse Sea Salt
1 Bay Leaf
1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
6 whole Cloves

1. Chop the tomatoes and onions roughly. They don't need to be small. Put in a large saucepan.

2. Place the bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves into a muslin bag and tie tightly to close. Put the bag into the pan with the tomatoes and onion.

3. Bring to the boil.

4. Simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes. Stir now and then. If at 45 minutes the onion isn't soft, keep going until it is.

5. Take out the bag and throw away.

6. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

7. Blend the mixture with a hand blender or in a food processor until it is smooth.

8. Strain the blended mixture through a fine sieve and put it back into the saucepan.

9. Add all the other ingredients. Stir over a gentle heat and do not let it boil. Do this until the sugar dissolves.

10. Now simmer for from 15 to 60 minutes, uncovered, or until the mixture thickens to the pouring consistency that you personally like.

11. Pour the hot ketchup into sterilised jars or bottles and seal them fast whilst still very hot.

I have kept these in a cool dark place for up to a year. However, once you open one it will need to be kept in a fridge.

Baked Plums & Mascarpone Dessert

Today was exhausting, and I got nothing done apart from some proof reading and a bit of shopping (more cat food).

There are times when I realise I really can't do as much as I used to... and how I wish it was old age.

Today is one of those days.

I did manage to squeeze in a visit to the Ballyvaughan Farmer's Market as usual, and bought some delicious free range hand reared pork chops and sausages. Such a rarity and what taste ! The lady who rears and sells them is as delightful as her product.

OK now to the plums. This is simply divine and so incredibly simple.

Baked Plums with Mascarpone

6 fresh ripe Plums
Mascarpone
Extra virgin Olive Oil
Almond slices to decorate

1. Cut the plums in half and carefully take out the stones.

2. Drizzle olive oil on the base of a baking dish (pie dish, pyrex shallow baking dish or similar).

3. Lay the plum halves on the baking dish, cut side facing upwards.

4. Drizzle a bit more olive oil on the plums.

5. Bake in a medium oven until the plums are gooey (soft and squiggy). Remove from the oven.

6. Generously dollop a large spoonful of the mascarpone onto each plum whilst still warm.

7. Trim each one with 3 almond bits of sliced almonds.

Eat !!! I think these are best whilst still warm.

How To Survive a Bad Day...

It started in the usual way, wake up, get dressed, go downstairs, draw back the curtains and gaze at the lovely wild flower meadow outside the window. Then turn the PC on to start some work...

Stop.

Go back to the window and realise that I am not imagining things.

On my precious wild flower lawn, in amongst the young (precious) raspberry bushes, were 2 donkeys happily munching away.

They looked up at me and smiled. My own donkeys had leapt over their electric fence, trotted down the road, up my drive and decided to mow my precious wild flower lawn.

What joy.

Dashing outside in my sawn off wellies (cleaned) I just look at them from about 6 feet away. They turn around and wander off into their bottom field (not the one they escaped from) by the tunnel, and then look at me again as if to say... "What did we do ?"

I shut the fence and turned the electic fencer on.... until the next time they decide they fancy a stroll...

The day went from bad to worse.

I was throwing up by 2pm and spent the afternoon in bed in agony. Oh the joys of modern medicine ! It was probably caused by the nasty antibiotics I am on...

I also have a dodgy stomach... I have had ulcers on and off since I was 19. Now no-one has ever tested me for H Pylori which could well be causing it and my doc says it needs an endoscopy to find out (at at least a €3,000 cost to the HSE in my case).

I happen to know that you can test for H Pylori with a Urea Breath test costing about €25 ! But surprise surprise, the knowledge hasn't reached the Irish medical profession it seems !

So the HSE are going broke, closing beds and services, charging for medicine for the poorest of the poor, and they spend at least several thousand on every endoscopy to diagnose the presence of H Pylori (and therefore ulcers etc), when they could do it equally as efficiently, at less harm to the client, with a €25 test !!!

Incredible.

I can see myself going to the UK for a €25 test !!!

What joy.

Oven Dried Tomatoes in Basil Oil

I'm assuming many people who grow tomatoes through the summer are still looking for delicious ways to store them for the winter. I know I am.

Now I love sun dried tomatoes, so when I found this recipe in an old Australian Woman's Weekly book I tried it. I have been using it ever since and they are heaven !

Oven Dried Tomatoes in Basil Oil

30 Tomatoes (normal sized ones - not big beef ones and not tiny bite size cherry ones)
4 cloves of Garlic, thinly sliced
12 fresh Basil leaves
500ml (2 cups) Olive Oil

1. Cut the tomatoes in half lengtheways, cutting down from where it was attached to the stalk.

2. Place the tomatoes (cut-side up), garlic cloves and basil leaves on wire racks sat in oven trays.

3. Sprinkle the tomatoes with sea salt.

4. Dry inside a very slow oven for 6 to 8 hours. Ensure the oven is on its lowest setting. Dry until the tomatoes are dry to the touch.

5. Take the basil out after about 20 minutes or so, as it should be dry by then. The garlic will take about 30 minutes.
Remove the garlic and basil from the oven seperately when each is crisp in turn.

6. Turn and rearrange the tomatoes several times during the drying process.

7. When all the bits are dry, pack them all into a hot good sized sterilised glass jar or jars.

8. Pour the olive oil over to cover the dried tomatoes completely.

9. Seal immediately.