dandelion patch
SNIP! SNIP!
One of the greatly anticipated pleasures was to grab the secateurs and cut the year's first bunch of grapes on the vine. I believe its the gamza variety. Unusual but attractive twist in the flavour. Ok... not exactly seedless with as many of 3 large seeds in a smallish grape and nevertheless delicious on early morning meusli with local walnuts or in the afternoon under the dudy tree with the village soft cheese (later in week).
Ok my 2nd as evolved by the last day, and it remains a dream, is maybe to prepare a meal with vine leaves. In Bulgaria this dish (I think) is called sarmi and I'm open to correction, The vine stuffing can include a diversity of ingredients - rice, minced meat, pine nuts, walnuts, raisins, mint and lemon juice. Across the planet they reckon cabbage leaves can be used as a substitute. I say just be prepared. Gather the vine leaves and enjoy a side of cabbage steamed and then add butter.
27.08.2015: Up long before the sun arrives in the valley. Dew point is surprisingly high given the damp ground early morning. Walnuts: Looking great but they need a great deal of coaxing to leave the tree. Given the piercing test, they are too advanced for pickling (1). Have a look at the wall around the water tank. 2 days of heavy rain has taken its toll and it is clear that we have a soil erosion issue... all soil is being washed out. Need to act quickly and before winter.
(1).On my return to the uK, I make a beeline to the local walnut tree on the 55th North parallel to find the less mature walnuts, higher latitude nuts have been harvested early.
SNIP! SNIP!
One of the greatly anticipated pleasures was to grab the secateurs and cut the year's first bunch of grapes on the vine. I believe its the gamza variety. Unusual but attractive twist in the flavour. Ok... not exactly seedless with as many of 3 large seeds in a smallish grape and nevertheless delicious on early morning meusli with local walnuts or in the afternoon under the dudy tree with the village soft cheese (later in week).
Ok my 2nd as evolved by the last day, and it remains a dream, is maybe to prepare a meal with vine leaves. In Bulgaria this dish (I think) is called sarmi and I'm open to correction, The vine stuffing can include a diversity of ingredients - rice, minced meat, pine nuts, walnuts, raisins, mint and lemon juice. Across the planet they reckon cabbage leaves can be used as a substitute. I say just be prepared. Gather the vine leaves and enjoy a side of cabbage steamed and then add butter.
27.08.2015: Up long before the sun arrives in the valley. Dew point is surprisingly high given the damp ground early morning. Walnuts: Looking great but they need a great deal of coaxing to leave the tree. Given the piercing test, they are too advanced for pickling (1). Have a look at the wall around the water tank. 2 days of heavy rain has taken its toll and it is clear that we have a soil erosion issue... all soil is being washed out. Need to act quickly and before winter.
(1).On my return to the uK, I make a beeline to the local walnut tree on the 55th North parallel to find the less mature walnuts, higher latitude nuts have been harvested early.