Yesterday afternoon saw an 11th hour rush for the last of this year’s blackberry harvest. We all ventured down the driveway and into our small area of woodland to pick what was left of the crop in the hedgerows. I didn’t mind that many berries had already spoiled or been lost to the birds and insects as there were still many a kilogram deep frozen in the chest freezer from last year. Then I only made a small amount of jam, but this year I plan to make perhaps 14 x 320ml jars.
The kilo or so that we collected yesterday went into a large blackberry and apple crumble with apples collected from the orchard in the kitchen garden. We all enjoyed the crumble last night, warmed through with a good splosh of double cream. Enough left over for the children’s dessert tonight!
This morning I wrestled out the said frozen blackberries whilst defrosting the freezer and half have now been stewed and perhaps 50% of the pips removed. When it comes to jamming them with apple pulp and sugar later this week, I want a velvety texture with not too many pips! I am reminded that I haven’t done a jam recipe in a while, yet I have made a few jams of recent, however unreported as I believe I have covered the likes of damson and plum and Calvados in my writings already! However blackberry jam is pretty seasonal, so prepare for that in the next day or two!
Amritsar is home from school today due to feeling sick this morning. Tara shouted down this morning at 6am ‘Amritsar’s been sick Dadda, Amritsar’s been sick, Will she get the day off’? And yes indeed, she is at home today! We plan on scrumping for a few more apples a bit later before the others return home from school with Sindy.
Whilst defrosting the freezer, I noticed the sheer volume of frozen damsons this year! Our tree has been extremely bountiful! I am almost dreading the grape harvest next month as there is still a good amount of frozen grape juice frozen from last year too.
Ritzy is lying on one sofa playing with her iPad and I am lying on the other writing this diary entry, both dogs sprawling out beside me.
Lunch was a home made pea soup, very light, no potato to thicken and a piece of sourdough toast. Amritsar has been feeling much better since this morning, I think something light again for dinner and she should feel as right as rain for tomorrow’s classes.
Listening to Mozart’s ‘Eine kleine Nachtmusik’. Feeling relaxed, perhaps a bit sleepy even…
Hope you’re having a good Monday all.
Thank you for reading.
Diary of a Gay Dad. I am a full time dad to five young children. 
Blackberry and apple crumble…I have a recipe somewhere that I need to dig up. It was delicious with vanilla ice cream. Haven’t made it for years.
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You really must look out your recipe! As you say, delicious with vanilla ice cream. Yummy 😋
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I hope the tummy bug settles, maybe too much Crumble? Great to see you using all the abundance of fruit in the woodland Andi, Crumble and Cream sounds amazing
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Thank you Paul. Yes, we are all blackberried out at this point! Amritsar was fine the next day, they have all had a fine week back at school. A shed load of apples and pears to decide the feet of! Maybe apples boiled down for pectin! And the biggest pear tart imaginable!!! Lol
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Glad Amritsar was fine the next day and lovely to hear that they have settled back into the routine of school again. How about Cider for the Dads to make use of the extra fruit? 😉
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Now there’s an idea! I like the way you think Paul 😉
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I’m Always ahead of the curve where Cider is concerned 😁
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Perfect 👌 🍺 🍺
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Poor kiddo. I hope no one else comes down with her little bug.
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Oh dear! Yes, that is a possibility! Fingers crossed, though their hygiene is improving! Maybe exclude Aaliyah for finger sucking and Caleb for a few more general issues!
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Our grapes are just starting to ripen. The trick will be to beat the birds to them! Blackberry jam is always something to look forward to!
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There are so many apples around here and no one seems to be harvesting – such a shame! I was thinking about making a nice apple and blackberry crumble myself. And I did once make a nice batch of blackberry jam but it’s hit and miss with me so I will look out for your recipe! Hope Amritsar feels better soon 😊
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It is a real shame when the fruit just rots on the branches! You should definitely endeavour in some free bounty or was that booty, of the non bottom variety! My jam recipes are pretty fail safe! With berries, you just need plenty of apple pectin. I might make a jam and a jelly and play with the volume of apple! You never taste the apple content! So, we’re just back from our scrumping and gave volumes of pears and the sweeter red and green apple that grow here. I also found some field mushrooms, though I will probably not get John onboard! So probably destined for the bin… have a lovely evening Ingrid 😊
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Sounds wonderful: I love a bit of foraging! There are many mushrooms here but I would meed some expert advice before I forage those 😅
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Indeed… I completely agree! We had yellow boletes in the garden! Some are edible and some are poisonous! We had both types! And enough for a super supper! Again, john put me off, so binned them all. Lol
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Ah what a shame! Unfortunately the poisonous ones look very similar to the edible ones don’t they 😳
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They do but the boletes of which porchini is one of the family. The yellow ones when cut – if they turn blueish – poisonous and if not – edible! I might just write a short post tomorrow explaining this foraging option! Thank you for inspiring me Ingrid 🧐
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I love your posts! Always a fun read and I’m glad your little one is feeling better. Have fun making the blackberry jam!
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Thank you J. You are kind. Amritsar is feeling so much better now. And I’ve just decided to make a jam and a jelly. Will have to play with the amounts of apple pulp. But I will get a good set 😃
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