A quiet weekend working on the allotment and cooking good food

From the beauty of Greece yesterday, to the slightly drearier shores of the UK today.  This past weekend we actually got down to our allotment and planted four rows of Charlotte potatoes.  We always seem a little behind on planting our potatoes, but were reassured when our local farmer told us he was only just getting his in the ground.

In the process of uncovering the soil Mr Rigg came across a frog.  First he thought it was dead, turns out it was just enjoying the heat beneath the plastic that had been covering the ground (at least I think that’s what it was doing).

After an attempt to pick it up it leaped down a hole and disappeared.  It made me realise there were a series of ‘tunnels’ that had been created in the soil and I wondered if this was the frog who had made them?  Anyone know?

There was also a bit of time for sitting and reading – Buddy was busy on bee patrol…

Freshly baked scones

These are just out of the oven, still hot and I can’t wait to get some Devonshire clotted cream onto them when they’re a little cooler and some homemade jam.  We’ve just spent a week in Devon and I only ate ONE cream tea – I’m gutted, it just wasn’t enough.

Prize winning scones

On Sunday we entered a couple of items into our local produce show.  Sadly I overcooked my lemon drizzle cake and it came in a miserable fourth…gutted.  My marmalade didn’t even come anything – I won’t be trying that Country Living recipe again.

Thankfully we got three 2nd place awards – for our giant yellow courgette, a pretty arrangement of hedgerow berries, and a plate of fruit scones.  The recipe for my scone’s comes from my colleague and friend Jane – who makes the best scones ever.  No question. 

My version of Jane’s fruit scones had a ‘lovely appearance’ but I lost marks because I didn’t tidy up the edges (i.e. pull off the currants that were sticking out…) and they needed a pinch of salt.  Hmm.  I’m not sure I can be doing with winning 1st prize if I’m required to carefully tidy up the edge of my scones, and besides, I like rustic food.

Afternoon tea in an urban meadow

Yesterday at work we celebrated our 11th Birthday – why 11th, you ask?  Well, we forgot last year that the business had turned 10, so we’re celebrating now.  Also, my dear colleague Paul is leaving us and heading back to his native Australia.

So we celebrated with a very English afternoon tea in a meadow, believe it or not in the city.  We had a tented camp, bunting hanging from the trees, live music, and lots of good friends.  There were scones and jam, make-it-yourself knicker-bocker-glories, and baskets of tiny sandwiches. 

My colleague and I were responsible for the baskets of sandwiches, and had spent all morning making them.  We made three varieties: egg mayonnaise with lots of chives on a white Polish rye bread; smoked salmon with a tangy lemon cream cheese on a deep campagrain bread; and (my absolute favourite, and my own invention) my take on cheese and pickle, a Welsh blue brie with sweet onion chutney on a fragrant seeded bread.

So here’s a quick round-up of our lovely afternoon:

…How to make your knicker-bocker-glory…

…A table groaning under the weight of jam, cream and Jane’s utterly perfect scones (recipe coming soon!)…

…The wheelbarrow of drinks on ice…

…Soft white egg and chive sandwiches with pretty cocktail flags…

…and the band creating a lovely atmosphere…