It is a British propensity of going from feasting to frugality often in the same week, where perhaps an expensive meal or two was had over the weekend with less expensive foods consumed during the week. This was such a problem in the middle of the 1800’s that booklets were written to help the middle-class housewife who previously had often had staff to help cook and clean. Staff were possibly more adept at producing meals within budget but as housewives ran the whole household now work weary husbands were coming home to banquets one night and a thin soup the next. Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management literally took off such was the need to understand the basics.

But once you do understand the basics then how you plan your budget becomes a masterpiece within itself. Personally I’m not a restaurant dweller, I could wax lyrical about why I’m not, but the sum part of it is, been there, done that. As I get older, I just can’t be bothered to play the game, eating two or three courses that I’m not finding interesting, often on uncomfortable seating, (but that might be a me problem!) listening to the clatter of other people eating (were restaurants this loud when we were younger?) and to pay for the privilege of doing so. I’d much rather just go down the pub and have a few drinks with friends to catch up on the gossip and banter.

So these days I’ve taken to feasting and frugality in an ingredient household way. The frugality part is really easy with having an allotment, munching on corn on the cobs, fresh roasted tomatoes on home made garlic bread, minestrone soups and roasted pumpkins combined with various salads is never going to be a hardship. Combine it with a little good cheese and it becomes a hearty supper. The feasting is in the developmental, I’ve given myself permission to do this stage. It’s something hubby and I used to do and it is time to return to that. So in the last few weeks I’ve enjoyed the odd fillet steak with home made chips, half a dozen oysters with a homemade mignonette sauce, caviar and cream cheese with a few home made blini’s, crab and smoked salmon on wafer thin crackers to name but a few. I’m eyeing up the lobster tails, it would be much more fun to buy live lobsters but I’d have to go to the next city for that and the scallops looked most interesting the other day. Heading into deeper territory of the shell fish season always makes me happier.

So in the spirit of frugality but I’m pretty sure it was feasting I made a homegrown apple pie with a 50/50 mix of cookers and eaters, heavy on the butter and cinnamon, a pure butter pastry with the fragrance of lemon. It was lush. Happy autumn cooking and eating everyone.

During a spat with my sister recently she threw into the argument that all I had was the allotment with such venom that it made me draw a sharp intake of breath. And since then it has festered in my mind and I’m really not sure how to come to terms with it. Of course I could ignore it, but there is that element of truth that my mind is drawn to the allotment and am I viewed as a someone that has nothing else in their life? Perhaps. Would that be a bad thing? Perhaps not. I’ve always viewed myself as having an eclectic range of interests, knitting, sewing, cooking, reading, art, photography, wildlife, swimming, blogging, make up, fashion etc etc. But the one I suspect I am the most passionate about is the plot. So perhaps that’s how I am viewed. Well there we are, crazy allotment lady it is. I can think of worse pursuits.

We are now in late September at the plot and due to two very good friends my tidying up process for the end of year has gone much better than expected. Julie came over on Sunday and we spent a jolly couple of hours hoeing much of the plot which has given me such a head start. I’m just waiting for the rain to come so that it will soften the ground enough so that I can start my winter digging. Then yesterday Arthur came over and helped me dig out the compost bin. He did the digging I did the toting, and I am so grateful as his help in an afternoon saved what would have taken me a week. I feel well on track to finish tidying up for this winter now and it will make the start of next years work so much easier.

Last spring I was not in the same place and I felt very wobbly about the plot, this time Andrew next door came to my rescue with a pep talk and helped on my strawberry bed and that simple act changed my direction into a more positive stance and I was off on my jolly little way once more. Small acts like these can make such a positive change, I am very grateful. (He also mowed my track a few weeks ago when my arm was playing up and that helped so much).

So September, what has this year been like? I would say it has been a dark summer, so dark the blackberries came to fruition much earlier than usual. But because of the rain they are very big. Brassicas seem to have done well, its been too cold for the courgettes and tomatoes struggled but have come into their own. I had my first real bowlful of cherries and the apples are the biggest I’ve had. The pear tree suffered from some sort of mould/fungus, probably from the damp, so not so many of those. But I’ve had more than enough to eat and am still squirrelling away supplies for the winter. Next year I should get my first asparagus and I am really looking forward to having an established bed.

But for now I will get more of my tidying up done whilst having breaks in the sunshine watching the birds and insects and communing with the allotment cat. Just doing me.

First of all I must apologise for the long absence. It’s been a bit tricky but at the moment I feel like my life is slowly forming into something new and I like it. Old friends have come back into my life and give much laughter, newer friendships have grown into deeper understandings of each other and it’s starting to be pretty good actually. There has been other stuff, not so good, going on and I just needed to step away from the internet. To give myself time to breath this summer without thinking about blog posts and the like. But I do enjoy my online diary and intend to continue. I’ve always thought it will be fun to read from the start in my later years.

So I’m just going to jump in with what I’ve been doing lately.

I hauled the pumpkins home this week, there should have been more but some had rotted, some didn’t grow and I’m pretty sure a couple went missing. Casual theft on allotments is common and its always one of those frustrating issues that is very difficult to deal with. I’d counted 14 earlier in the season and I brought home 8. If I see some varieties on my travels, notably one or two onion squash would be nice I will add them to my collection.

So what is my favourite food? Anything home cooked with as many flavours packing a punch as is possible especially when many of the components are home grown. I particularly enjoy what I call a Buddha bowl, which is basically a healthy version of a pick and mix beige buffet that you might have had at your grans on Boxing day. And you never eat the same variety of Budha bowl twice, it’s always ‘oh look, I’ve got a carrot, head of broccoli, pepper what shall I do with them?’ This particular plate was inspired by an offer that Sainsbury’s had with their chicken legs, 2 kg for £2.60 with your nectar card. There were twenty legs, ten went straight into the freezer, the others were popped into the oven covered with Reggae Reggae jerk barbecue sauce (highly recommended) and a sprinkle of seasalt. Next I prepped a small pumpkin and threw that in with the chicken dressing it with the sauce with a red pepper perched on top. Prepped the seeds from the pumpkin and seasoned them with sweet smoked paprika, fennel seeds and malden sea salt, spray of oil and roasted those. I made a sweet dressing for the pumpkin with fresh chilli, rhubarb and orange jam (home made of course) fresh coriander, balsamic, vinegar and olive oil. Prepped the salad, iceberg, cucumber, tomatoes, beetroot and red onion. Rescued the last of the dolmades from the fridge and found a squidgy of mayonnaise. It was very good.

There would have been more leftovers but the whippets managed to get their long noses over the edge of the roasting tray and stole two pieces of pumpkin. But I can’t begrudge them it as pumpkin is so good for dogs, as it is everybody, packed full of vitamins and minerals and their seeds are packed full of magnesium, zinc, antioxidants, omega 3 and 6 and iron. And if this plateful of wonderful food won’t keep the doctor away I don’t know what will.