I am taking it easy.....promise

[Mrs Ava]

Strawberrys picked from the garden - 2Ib, dredged in 2Ib sugar for an hour, then the lot was transfered to my new Rumtopf and covered in Rum.  Took a whole bottle.  YUM!



Then sorted through my Japanese onions and shallots, taking all the smallest ones and they are now prepared and sitting in salt for 24hours before being turned into sweet pickled onions taken from a recipe Tim posted.



And daughter number one sowed some beans, and here are the first 2 runners from her plants.  ;D

[Mrs Ava]

[tim]

Just LOVE the pot.

And your wonderful way of doing nothing!!

[Emagggie]

Never had a rumtopf EJ, do you just put one kind of fruit in?

[Mrs Ava]

Jeannine started a thread, but of course, I can't remember where.....you layer the fruits as they come into season, then smother them with sugar and rum, or booze of your choice!  Strawbs are in, raspberries were picked today, so a pound of them will follow, followed by blackcurrants, redcurrants, jostaberries, plum and finished off with my very own home grown peaches.  We will then 'uncork' it Christmas day - the drink we shall consume during the day, the fruits will be drizzeled over icecream and poured over pancakes on Boxing day for brekky!  :P

[kitten]

Yum EJ that sounds delicious  ;D

[Emagggie]

Yep, that sounds inviting indeed. :P

[tricia]

I've just asked on my local Freecycle if anyone has a Rumtopf lurking in a cupboard gathering dust. If I get lucky then I'll start one off asap.

I used to have a rather lovely one when I lived in Germany - where I made good use of it - but somehow, somewhere during my many moves it disappeared.

Tricia

[manicscousers]

I've got one, only used once..then the dreaded diabetes...shame you're not nearer  :)

[grawrc]

What sort of rum /alcohol do you use? We thought of using vodka or white rum because we don't really like the other rum much.

[Mrs Ava]

I used white rum, it says on the instructions and the web, use whatever booze takes your fancy! ;D

[grawrc]

Thanks Emma. My instructions are German and insist on dark rum. I'll try something less heady. I'd actually like to use the stuff they use in France for cherries. MAybe get my brother to bring me some.

[Emagggie]

I have just hijacked tricia's idea and advertised on freecycle for one. (ours is sooo slow here, you can wait for a week before your 'want' or 'offered' is posted.)
Having a think about what alcohol to use as dark rum was my first nasty experience with booze and of course I've not touched it since. :-\

[grawrc]

Yes as far as I am concerned dark rum is strictly medicinal.

[tilts]

Emma J what time did you want me to arrive for boxing day breakfast, i've forgotten!!! ;)

[Mrs Ava]

Everybodies welcome after 9.30am.  ;D  Merry Christmas! ;D ;D