Monday, March 17, 2008

Happy St Patrick's Day



This is my 100th post on my blog!!!! The time has gone quickly!

I had quite a busy weekend in the kitchen, but rather than post about everything I made now, I think I will save some for material in the future!! Today of course, is St Patrick’s day. We are having a client function at work tonight, so I made some basic vanilla biscuits, cut them into shamrock shapes and then decorated with fondant that I tinted green. This is my new favourite way of decorating cookies – roll out fondant in the same shape. It gives a much better finish!



On Friday night I got an abundance of fresh figs. I absolutely made a pig of myself on them actually!!!! But I also thought that I would preserve some. I followed the recipe for figs in rum syrup from Nigella Lawson’s How to be a Domestic Goddess. But I didn’t have any rum, so I used vodka – I also added a vanilla bean. But they didn’t turn out as I hoped. I have decided that I really only like figs fresh. Cooked, they taste a bit too much like dried ones. I almost threw them out, but I have decided to try and make them into chutney. Will let you know how I go!



I did preserve some beautiful quince though. I love quince – especially how they go from this hard, inedible fruit, to the most beautiful dark crimson coloured fruit. I bought these quince a couple of weeks ago at the Hastings farmers market, but my business partner bought me in a bucket full this morning! My preserved quince will go well with ice cream or in tarts. I love the syrup as well, stirred through natural yoghurt! I think I might use the ones I got given this morning to make quince paste in the weekend – something I haven’t tried!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Tammy
How long did it take for your quince to become that lovely deep colour? I did the last lot in the oven for 7 hours! Were those you bought sound? Or were some infested with codlin moth? Or brown? Regards to you, Stephanie

Tammy said...

Hi Stephanie

I cooked them for 5 1/2 hours. I did them on the stove top, as I was using my oven for other things. This was the first time I have ever bought quinces with not a mark on them! Not even a bruise whcih is unusual. The ones I got this morning are a bit battered, but I will cut round them and make them into paste

Tammy

Megan said...

Happy St Patrick's Day to you too Tammy.
Thanks for all your inspiration in the kitchen.
Keep it up :)

Cakelaw said...

Your shamrock cookies are gorgeous Tammy. Love the fondant finish. (BTW, I am envious of your preserving skills - I am still scared of preserving/making jam etc.)

Deborah said...

I saw the fondant decorating on someone else's blog, and I love the idea! Great cookies!