Friday Gifts in Yellow

Ripple Bay at its best this week; it rained and poured and there was a biting southerly, but inside was a different story. I seemed to be a magnet for gifts of the food variety which are of course the best type.

 Fresh eggs from the first ones laid by a friend's new hens and then lemons from a neighbours tree. Not the sort of lemon from a supermarket but the sort that you scratch the skin and the lemony smell bombards you. 

Eggs with big bright golden yolks and you practically know the name of the exact chicken who laid it (thank you Houdini!). Now I just need to squeeze in time to make this Lemon and Blueberry Cake by Julie Le Clerc and I will be the perfect mother. Failing which and more likely, it will be Gin and Tonics with lemon juice tonight and boiled eggs for breakfast tomorrow - everyone's a winner! 

View with yellow boat! 

Happy Weekend, Blue x

Lemons every which way

My wee lemon tree has gone above and beyond the call of duty this autumn - out laying a huge bounty of large juicy lemons.

Lemons are so versatile. Sweet, savoury, in drinks, in desserts. One of my favourite (and so very very easy) concoctions is preserving lemons for use in savoury dishes. The culinary gurus (in this case Annabel Langbein) are right - they do add something special to stews, roasts, rissottos and the like.

Try this for yourself...

Cut 2 lemons cut into six segments and freeze overnight. Place in sterilised jar and add 2 teaspoons salt, the juice of 1 lemon and a bay leaf. Top up jar with a neutral oil (grapeseed, light olive oil).

They can be used after one week but definitely improve over several months. To use, scoop out and discard the flesh and thinly slice the rinds.

Personalise the jars to make a great gift for foodie friends.