if anyone grows Golden Acre cabbage and wants to try the red version, I have an over stock of these.

Let me know if you are tempted

As an aficionado of the Welsh Cake, I’m going to share my recipe with you lovely people. 

9oz Self Raising Flour
4oz Salted Butter (no margarine, bleugh!)
4oz Sultanas
4oz Caster Sugar (plus extra for dusting)
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
Splash of milk if needed.

The recipe is simple, the method however I have honed over many thousand cakes!!! 

First in a bowl soak the fruit in boiling water (this ensures moist not dry cakes for at least a week, but they won’t last that long) and a splash of orange juice if you have some. Then put a large flat frying pan which is thoroughly cleaned, (I have an egg pan only eggs and Welsh cakes may enter!!) you don’t want it smelling of yesterday sausages or spag Bol, bleugh!!! Sorry, put the pan on the hob on its lowest setting, this is an art to find. My sweet spot is just above 1, on my ceramic rangemaster, you’ll have to play with your own cookers.!

Then sieve the flour into a large bowl, cut the butter into cubes and rub together until fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mixed spice, then stir to evenly distribute. Sieve the plump fruit and leave to drain for a minute or two. Add the fruit, stir, then add the egg, stirring with a knife it’s easier than a spoon and bring together to just form a dough, don’t overwork it. If you find the mix too dry at this point add a tiny splash of milk. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about a centimetre thick. You should get 18-20 cakes from this mix. Cut into circles about 7-8 cm in diameter. (I’ve not measured my cutter sorry!!) and place on a tray separated. Don’t worry if you cut through a sultana pull it out if loose. 
Put 4-5 cakes in the heated pan, at this temperature it should take about 5-6 minutes to cook the cakes on each side. They should roughly double in thickness and be a golden brown colour. Any quicker and they won’t cook in the centre and any hotter and they will burn before cooked. You will have to play with your hob to find the sweet spot.

Leave to cool slightly on a grill, normally until you are ready to turn the next batch of 4-5 cakes. Dust with sugar both sides and place in a kitchen towel lined box with the lid loosely placed on top, I have a plastic one which holds 6 cakes a layer 3x2. Continue until all cakes are baked. Place another sheet of kitchen towel on top of the box and seal the lid after about 15 minutes. This allows the cakes to continue to steam a little but, don’t worry they will reabsorb their own moisture. 

You can eat them hot but, personally I prefer them the following day when they are light as a feather and not in the slightest way dry.

Follow this recipe and I can guarantee you will have WI winning welsh cakes.  

Having spotted blossom on one of the peach trees, I've done a quick look at the other fruit trees and bushes for signs of life.

Green leaf buds on:-
Blackcurrant 
Jostaberry
Quince tree 
Raspberries 

No sign of life on :-
Apples
Pears
Plums
Medlar

Do you want to add your progress here?

Any one interested in some Zebrune shallot seeds...I have about 200 too many.

For those not sure, they are actually onions

A friend has asked me where’s the best place to buy a cold frame. So I’m asking you lot   . She is well aware you can make one quite simply. She is also quite aware it won’t happen until August waiting for her husband to make it. If she’s lucky it’ll be this August   . So she would rather just buy one.  Anyway I’m fairly clueless when it comes to using & buying such things. Recommendations for where to look / buy, thank you.

Hello Folks

I started my garlic in modules, when it comes to planting out do I bury them?

My daughter has moved into a new house and would like to know what is growing in her garden (hopefully none are poisonous). Pictures taken this week:

1.    

2.    

3.    

4.    

Having layed the hedge and removed some unwanted plants we have a small patch of open ground that I want to plant something on. The area may not be available very long (a year or three) due to renovation plans. The hedge to the left is on the west(picture taken approx 10.30am). Our soil is slightly acid clay. I was thinking wild flowers but wonder if our soil may be a little too nutrient rich for some? Any thoughts on what to plant would be great thanks. 

   

Is there a more attractive plant than Rainbow Chard? 
Wouldn't it look good in a planter with nasturtiums and feathery carrot leaves? Maybe a few red and green leaved lettuces and some Beetroot leaves with dill or fennel.
The permutations are endless!!
In other words, I'll not be growing begonias, busy Lizzies or geraniums this year (unless they fall into my flower pots for no money) but filling the pots with beautiful edibles - that I may, or may not eat.

While boiling up potatoes today I wondered what I could add to them to make them more tasty, ofcourse there are the usual salt, pepper, brown sauce or red sauce, if it's mashed potato you can add butter or milk, but what else can be added to lift the taste of potatoes