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Ile de Ré Reflections: A pool in the salt marshes, part of the Réserve naturelle.
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Annual Hay Bale Migration: The annual hay bale migration is upon us, with the great beasts present in many fields. I've recorded at least five species and noticed that they've started aggregating at strategic points. Once this starts happening the local farmers need to keep their wits about them. I've noticed an increasing number of farm vehicles that have clearly been hijacked by groups of hay bales wanting to move more quickly from their summer grazing to their winter farmyard stacks. Once they start lining up in a regular fashion across the field I reckon the farmer needs to be particularly careful, as this change in behaviour heralds their intention to move.
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Goosegogs: The lovely Jean from Baking in Franglais called over yesterday afternoon delivering English gooseberries and her homemade strawberry and redcurrant jam. We love gooseberries, but they don't grow here (the plants succumb to mildew very quickly). I feel a fool coming on.
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Guests: Our guests Jon (Simon's brother) and his wife Rosy have gone home. We sent them on their way after 3 days of eating and drinking and a bit of medieval culture.
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A la cuisine hier: Vietnamese Summer Rolls. I'd never made these before and now having done so, I would highly recommend you give them a go. They aren't nearly as difficult as you might think, and they are light and delicious. Maybe not to the standard Chez Kim, but good and tasty, sort of crunchy summer comfort food. I will have to make them again, partly because I need to practice rolling them up tight, and partly because I have a packet of 40 galettes de riz (rice papers) from the Paris Store to use up.
2 comments:
I saw some of the bales having a joke outside Abilly a couple of weeks back... they'd hijacked a grass turner and made the shape of a tractor pulling it!!... they'd obviously been out on the town beforehand... they were the only ones there!
Our goosegogs will probably be going in a Delia Smith Loose Crust Pie... and we haven't had mildew on our goosegogs here... in fact, they are growing much better than the ones up in Leeds ever did... now, there we DID get mildew!!
Many a harvest had to be hand scrubbed before making jam.
The usual trick is to grow the bush as an espallier or a cup to avoid mildew...
it is an air circulation problem...
or grow a newer, mildew resistant variety...
but still keeping the crown open!
Tim: I've talked to various people here and they've told me they've never had any luck and have given up here.
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