Clairesallotment's Blog

I’ve been making Seville Orange Marmalade for many years now. I love marmalade on toast, waffles, toasted scones or toasted tea cakes. Homemade marmalade is so much better than any shop bought ones. Yes I know there’s a lot of sugar in marmalade, but I only have it at the weekends, and a jar lasts me a very long time, so I feel it’s not too naughty when 5lb – 6lb of marmalade lasts an entire year.

The best marmalade is made with seville oranges. Seville oranges are only available during January, and usually come from Spain, hence the name. They are very bitter, so you can’t eat them as you would normal oranges. Ask your local greengrocers if they can get you some, as supermarkets tend not to stock them. My local greengrocers had a huge mound of seville oranges when I went looking for them, which I was incredibly pleased to see. I didn’t buy them all, as that would have been a bit silly and there wouldn’t have been some for anyone else.

Seville oranges are quite cheap, because the Spanish don’t use them, so ship them mainly over to the UK. Our climate is too cold for us to be able to grow them in the UK which is a shame.

Whenever I make my marmalade I always use Delia Smith’s recipe. I works perfectly every time. Your house will smell fabulous while the marmalade is bubbling away. It takes a little bit of time to make, but is absolutely worth it.

Click HERE for the recipe I use.

And as Paddington Bear says “Every home should have a marmalade day!”

Have you ever wanted to know how to grow your own Broad Beans, but were too afraid to ask?

Well worry no longer. My latest ebook has all the information you need to know about growing your own broad beans. From choosing the correct variety for your growing space, when the best time to sow them, how to look after them as they grow, any little pests to watch out for, when to harvest your crop, and my own little recipe at the very end.

It’s available for just 99p, so click HERE to buy your very own copy.

Don’t forget I also have lots of other ebooks available and am writing lots more throughout the year.

Happy gardening!!

Claire xxxx

January sales are brilliant, you can pick up all sorts of bargains.

So why not start the 2018 gardening year off will a bang, and check out the latest sale at Victoriana Nursery. Hurry up, as it’s not on for long.

20% off all Vegetable Seeds & Flower Seeds

15% off all Tree Fruit, Soft Fruit, and Nuts !

To claim these fantastic discounts simply use the offer code JAN18 between now and the 14th January.

It’s a new year, so that means it’s time to start planning your garden. Time to sit down with some books and read up on what you want to grow this year.

This year I’ll be continuing with my ebooks. I hope you’ve been enjoying them so far. There will be many more to come over the course of this year, and into the next few years. I’ll keep writing them until I’ve run out of fruits and vegetables.

My latest one is out now and it’s all about Strawberries.

So if you’ve ever wanted to know how to grow those wonderful sweet gems of the summer months, all the information you need is in my latest book. It’s a bargain at 99p.

Don’t forget, I have plenty other ebooks available. Click HERE to find out more.

Happy gardening!!

’Tis the season to be farting, Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

I love Christmas, don’t you? Not just the presents, the tree, the lights, the tinsel, spending time with the whole family, and most people generally being nicer to each other. But it’s also the time of the year when we can eat Brussels sprouts and fart ’til your hearts content.

Look, if you can’t fart freely around your family at Christmas, then something is wrong. Everyone does it, even the Queen!

Because Brussels are only around, usually at Christmas, many people get worried about how to cook them properly.

There are many different ways, but this is how I cook mine. And even if I do say so myself, they are amazingly delicious, just ask the kids and Mark.

The perfect Brussels sprouts

You’ll need:

Brussels sprouts, olive oil, pancetta, chestnuts (vacuum packed)

Firstly, cut the very bottom off your sprouts, and remove any damaged leaves. Then place them in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Put the pan on the hob and bring to the boil. Boil for exactly 5 minutes. Then drain and put the Brussels in a clean bowl.

In a large frying pan heat a little olive oil, and while it’s heating up cut your pancetta into small cubes.

When the oil is hot, put in the pancetta and cook until it’s golden brown.

Once the pancetta is cooked, add the Brussels to the frying pan and mix together with the pancetta. This will warm the Brussels through and cook them a little more.

Crumble into the frying pan the chestnuts and mix again. Leave to cook for another couple of minutes.

These will be the best Brussels sprouts you’ve ever tasted, and even those who say they don’t like them, really will.

Parsnips are a staple of Christmas dinner. They have been growing all year in the soil and you’ve had to wait until they’ve had a least one decent frost before you can dig them up. Parsnips, like Brussels sprouts, are a very misunderstood vegetable, but we love them and this is how I cook mine.

You’ll need:

Parsnips, plain flour, semolina, salt and pepper, olive oil, parmesan

Peel your parsnips and cut off the tops and the bottoms. Cut your parsnips into pieces about 4 inches long and 2 inches wide (this is only a rough size). Once they are cut, place them in a large sauce pan, and cover with cold water. Put on the heat, and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain, and lay them on a clean tea towel to dry.

In a dish put a mixture of plain flour, semolina, and salt & pepper. Mix it to combine.

Get a baking tray, and put some olive oil on it, and put it in the oven, at about gas mark 6 for about 5-10 minutes.

While the oil is heating up, get each parsnip piece, and dredge them in the flour mixture.

When they are are all done, take the tray out of the oven, and carefully put the parsnips in the oil. Be very careful as the oil will be very hot. Put them back in the oven and roast for about 30-40 minutes, turning each parsnip over half way through the cooking time.

When the parsnips are a lovely golden brown, place them on a serving plate, and scatter some grated parmesan over the top.

When the weather outside is very cold, frosty, and wet, playing in the garden isn’t an option. So you can either do a massive pile of ironing (nah!), or those other boring household chores that you try and put off for as long as possible (do I have to?). Instead, you can get out your cookery books, look through the recipe books, and bake some of the most wonderful shortbread cookies ever. You can add whatever flavourings you like, just keep the basic shortbread the same.

So why not make the house smell wonderful, and once you’ve made your cookies, sit down with a couple of them and a nice cup of tea. The ironing can wait for another day…..