First Frost

First frost today (we also had a little bit of snow in the garden yesterday morning, but it melted off quickly). Fortunately Aidan and I pruned and brought the geraniums in last week. Poppy says the best thing is to hibernate until Spring (or the next opportunity to run in the snow).

little bit of frost

time to snooze

little bit of snow

Baking Baguette

2nd attempt at baguette. 1st one tasted good, but looked like a slightly squished slug. I have previously thought baguette too difficult, and also unnecessary to attempt as there are so many yummy local ones... We were meant to have it for lunch, but a power cut got in the way. It went well with dinner instead - slow roast beef hock and butternut squash, cooked with red wine.

First ski of the season

First ski of the season. Normally this involves using your oldest skis and crashing over rocks, but not this year! It has been snowing for much of the last week. Wet, muddy and horrible at home, but lovely up here.

We didn't expect so much snow so early so Aidan didn't have his ski gear with him, but he came for a snowshoe instead...

Look at the depth of the snow!

Green Tomato Chutney and Jam

1kg unripe tomato, chopped quite small
2 medium hot chilis, chopped small
250g white sugar (or brown if you prefer)
100ml cider vinegar
1 tsp citric acid
Picking spices

Put the tomato, spices and chili in a pan with a little water and cook on low until the tomato have gone very mushy.
Add the vinegar, citric acid and sugar and continue to cook until the mixture is thick.
Put in to sterilised jars.

Eat with cold meat, cheese, curry or whatever you fancy.

1kg green tomato
Some chili
1kg sugar
Juice and zest of 1.5 lemons

Put the tomato and chili in a pan with a little water and cook gently until soft.
Add the lemon juice, sugar and zest and continue to cook gently until a set is reached
Put in to sterile jars.

Also good with cold meat, cheese and whatever...

Christmas Cake Made

As always I used the Weatherill family recipe https://laviealapetiteferme.blogspot.com/2014/10/christmas-cake-recipe.html

Lorna made this cake for us for many years but now I have to do it myself. This year planning on cream cheese icing as less solid than royal icing and less sweet than the butter icing I did last year...

Visit from Aidan

Aidan came to visit, partially to get away from the horrors of brexit as he couldn't bear to be in the country to witness it. Of course it was delayed. But lovely to see him anyway.

The weather was mostly a bit crappy unfortunately but we did many useful things anyway and there was a nice window during what we did a lot of mowing. Fun! See how well we treat our visitors

We drunk lots of beer. Many different sorts. It is quite exciting the variety available now compared with even 3 years ago. Several local micro breweries have started up as well.

We walked as well

and ate

we juiced some apples we were given

made some of our own beer which we enjoy more even than the great variety of beers now available in France. We make ours less strong than most beers out there which we prefer.

More walking, this time in the snow! Of which great amounts arrived during Aidan's visit

we ate even more. This is one of our ducks. YuM!

We talked and despaired about politics

Snow shoeing too

Come again soon!

Coasters

We had some coasters made to match Cathy's pictures on the wall. They came out really well.