Adderbury Community Food Market - Thursday, 13th August 2015 - to bag me a picnic feast xxx

It was a very quick visit to Adderbury for their August Community Food Market’s meeting on 13^th August at The Institute for I was also due at The Pig Place to watch Mikron Theatre’s production of “Raising Agents” and I had come to buy myself a picnic supper to take with me.

The Market was very lively with a good throng of interested customers, business was brisk and I met up and chatted with other friends about the show and village activities.

I bought vegetable fritters and a piece of spinach pie from Mark of Ellie’s Kitchen at – mail: ellistago@gmail.com or ‘phone: 07500 614283.......

A cherry yoghurt from Sarah West of Appletree Products - contact via - appletreeproducts@hotmail.co.uk  - 

Then from Jo Thompson of Once Bitten I bought her Organic Granol and you may contact  Jovia – enquiries@oncebittenltd.co.uk - ....

here's Jo at her wonderful food stall

....a bag of which I’d meant to buy in July but somehow missed by stopping to talk to friends then buying a jar of Adderbury Honey from Helen Raine ......

who is contactable via – rainehelen@hotmail.com or by ‘phone at 07967 195132

Hot food was supplied by Kim who served up her delicious Green Thai Curry and I’ve heard she will be at September’s Market event on Thursday, 10^th September which means I’ll get the chance to sample her lovely food then, with the next market event now just ten days away!

How quickly is the summer flying by with the last day of August today, on this wet Bank Holiday Monday - here’s a few more mid-August photos to feast on…

Well, that was a very busy day - gardening all morning, then home to upload photos and deal with paperwork, then to visit Adderbury Community Food Market for my picnic and take more phot, finally off to The Pig Place to watch the Mikron Theatre's production of "Raising Agents".





Happy eating friends!

Daisy xxx

Banbury Food Fair – Sunday, 9th August 2015 – for all the fun of Fair Food and Great Entertainment…

Sarah McMillan's decidedly scrumptious Gluten-free Blueberry Gateau

.

 Banbury’s town centre from Cornhill to outside Marks and Spencer was bustling and busy with stalls, striped awnings and the hungry and curious.  Couples with small babes in arms, families with children, the young and the young at heart, all determined on looking, sampling, buying and eating.  By the time we arrived, proceedings were well underway with intoxicating food aromas wafting everywhere.

The dear SO was looking for large cauldrons of food to savour while I was aiming my lens into the milling crowd.  Two photos later my battery gave up on me and, reaching gladly for my iPhone, inwardly groaned when I noticed that this was also running out, having counted steps from early morning to now, walking with the family dog.  Well, that was that, so He had to take my photos for me!

Folk were queueing up for all types of hot food and very patiently too and, despite the seemingly high prices being charged, were obviously happy waiting to be fed with the weather so kind to everyone.

A cookery demonstration was entertaining an attentive audience, people were meeting and greeting friends and neighbours and Banbury’s Food Fair was giving everyone a great summer’s day outing.

We visited Linda Colclough’s Tiny Seeds stall and sampled her Blueberry Pickle – for contact: info@tinyseeds.co.uk - then met up with Jo Roberts at her Not Just Jams stall of chutney, jelly, onion marmalade and relish all of which looked really good. Jo introduced us to her very special item, her Military Pickle, made to an ancient family recipe; it was a stunning preserve…well done Jo. For email contact – notjustjams@talktalk.net  Next to Anila’s handmade Indian sauce and pickle stall and their delicious Mango Lassi drink which went down extremely well on this bright sunny day – contact via – www.anilassauces.com – Anila’s Authentic Sauces Ltd.

Then we met up with Deddington Farmers’ Market friends, Paddocks Product Farm Shop, and bought a game pie for supper which went down a treat with salad and homemade chutney – contact via -  www.paddocksproductsfarmshop.co.uk  

Next to Gourmet Vinegars to sample their aged Balsamic Vinegar - contact via – gourmetvinegars@yahoo.co.uk - to Maison Rustique to admire their range of very colourful bowls and dishes – contact at – www.maisonrustique.net -  and then we met up with a friend from last year, Cookie Crumbles – “Wholesome Baking Mixes” – beautifully boxed up in new wrappings now that they are doing so well in a variety of retail outlets.  I would have liked to buy their “Awesome Gluten-free Brownie Mix” but I was too late so instead chose their “Blueberry & Vanilla Muffin Mix”.  Email contact to: info@cookiecrumbles.co.uk 

Cookie Crumbles - Wholesome Baking Mixes at home with our Food Fair basket






We also simply had to buy a large slice of a scrumptious-looking gluten-free blueberry gateau from Sarah McMillan who makes and bakes for all those intolerant of gluten, soya, nut, dairy and lactose.  Her gateau was extremely good and the slice so large we both enjoyed a good feast.  Contact Sarah McMillan on 07951 546405 or via – info@whenitssconeitsgone.com   I also stopped to look at boxes of new season’s plums on the Styan Family Produce stall who kindly invited me to sample their wares, which I did and, they were very good indeed.   I often buy Styan Family Produce veggies from them at Deddington Farmers’ Market.  We also stopped to view the products – balsamic vinegar, cold pressed oil and sea salt – on Taste Gourmet Spice Company stall – for contact – www.tastespice.co.uk

 We visited the produce tent filled by local food and flower-growing gardeners and cake-baking enthusiasts and oohed and aahed our way around the tent, with everyone else, all determined to get as close to the exhibits as we possibly could.   The monster cabbage caught everyone’s attention for it was, truly, enormous and in very rude health.   There was also a great variety of vegetable items to inspect like potatoes, kohlrabi, carrots, courgettes and beans plus cakes and pies, preserves and flowers.

We had coffee and then departed for home.  Banbury’s Food Fair was still in full-swing, people were still happily milling about and buying and the weather continued to be kind to all in Banbury’s town centre.

Happy summer eventing folks..

Daisy xxx

PS blueberries feature largely in my 2015 summer and I’m hoping to grow them for myself next year – I just love them for my bowl of breakfast muesli!!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Daisy’s Diary – Sunday, 16th August 2015 – August and September 2015

Daisy’s Diary – Sunday, 16th August 2015 – August and September

 August 2015

Saturday. 22nd August  2015

JS Auctions - Antiques and interiors public auction sale – 10.00am

JS Auctions @ Cotefield Auction Rooms, Oxford Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX15 4AQ.  Contact: 01295 272488 / email:  enquiries@jsauctions.co.uk

Deddington Farmers’ Market – August Market Day – 9am – 12.30pm

Author Linda Newbury at Library stall 9am-12.00pm signing books & meeting fans

Deddington Farmers’ Market, Market Place, Deddington, Oxfordshire OX15 OSE.  Contact: www.deddingtonfarmersmarket.co.uk

July at Deddington Farmers' Market

 Next Deddington Farmers’ Market – Saturday 26th September 2015


August 21st - 23rd 2015

2015 Belgian Formula 1 Shell Grand Prix -  (Friday to Sunday)

August 23rd  2015

Wolvercote Farmers’ Market – every Sunday 10am – 1pm - Wolvercote Primary School OX2 8AQ (first turn).  Est. 2002.  Contact: http://www.wolvercotefarmersmarket.co.uk/contact-us

 Summetown Farmers’ Market – every Sunday 10am – 2pm - Banbury Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX2 7DE. Enquiries – 07413 662838

September 2015

Friday, 4th September 2015

Banbury Farmers’ Market – 1^st Friday of month – 8.30am – 1.30pm – Cornhill Market Place, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 5NG.  Contact: Lee McCallum – 07779 400 421. Email: marketmanager@ymail.com

Member of Thames Valley Farmers’ Market Co-operative

Saturday, 12th September 2015

Charlbury Farmers’ Market – quarterly on 2^nd Saturday of month – 9am – 1pm – The Playing Field, Charlbury, Oxfordshire OX7 3RJ.  Contact: Nick Potter – 08702414762

March at Charlbury Farmers' Market

Next Charlbury Farmers’ Market – Saturday, 12^th December 2015

Daisy

Saturday Morning Chatter - Saturday, 15th August 2015 - VJ Day 2015

 The Nation remembers as HM The Queen leads events to mark the 70^th anniversary of the ending of WW2 with the surrender of Japan after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to commemorate those who gave their lives during the six long war years of war.  It is splendid for most of us that we may watch these proceedings on our TV sets, joining in and participating  as we may,  which is something my generation have been doing all of our lives.

For me, it is the very least we can do now, today, to be involved with these commemorations by sitting at home, listening to the spoken word of Church Minister, Veteran, TV commentator and others, absorbing their words and emotions.

May we also sit and watch for younger family members who, with babes in arms, toddlers and their siblings, are busy with the daily round of childcare activities and home life.,

                                              …………………….……………………..……………………………

We have a bright sunny Saturday morning after the last two grey, dull and wet days and thank goodness for that.  Yes I know the rain was needed for which I, as a gardener, am thankful for but oh my goodness, how depressing the dark grey skies were.

OK enough of weather talk…..we have had some good moments and occasions this week, some  interesting TV programmes to watch and good connections.

We managed to watch some of the Great British Menu screenings and with much interest in last night’s watch with particular regard to the props used in the various presentations.   We couldn’t help but wonder about the cost of these for the banquet and the subsequent fiddliness of presentation and delivery!  Oh to be a fly on the wall..!

The GBBO provided a great deal of interested amusement, fascination and just a little sadness for departing Marie.  Well done Marie for your success of being first Star Baker and good wishes.  Also good wishes for Flora, Ugne, Ian, Nadiya and….very well done to Ian for being 2nd Star Baker.

Oh I’ve had some good times making such biscuit delights as…. snickerdoodles, my own flapjack recipe, shortbreads to Rice Krispie cakes and my Aunt’s recipe for melting moments with Cornflakes; oh happy days, hey!

But it’s not all food and TV!  I’ve been gardening and harvesting sweet tomatoes – oh gosh, food again and well, “gosh” that word creeps in whenever I’m not watching or writing on-the-hoof, don’t you know!

So my aubergine leaves are very yellowy –  too much water and insufficient sun and feed I guess and my pepper plant leaves were looking a bit wrinkled until I created a good steamy atmosphere in the greenhouse and, well, now they’re lookin’ good but, when will those peppers become yellow?

Highlight of our week – the Mikron Theatre’s production of their play “Raising Agents” to celebrate the 100 year centenary of the WI, that brilliant body of inspirational and inspired women.  I am definitely a member of my local WI and glad and proud to be so, for the friendship, togetherness, activity and inspirational backing of the Movement.

The Mikron Theatre has 44 years of performance, production and theatre behind them and they presented an excellent evening’s performance for us on Thursday evening at The Pig Place, Banbury.  Food was laid on by the nice folk there which the family were trucking into as I arrived to join them, having first gone to August’s Adderbury Community Food Market at The Institute.  I managed to pick up a bag of Jo Thompson’s glorious organic granola having left last month ‘s bag behind when we’d done shopping;  and then I bought my picnic supper-to-go from Mark of Ellie’s Kitchen of veggie rissoles and a good square of spinach pie, plus a cherry yoghurt from Sarah of Appletree Farm Products.  I would have bought veggies from Mr. Anson’s veg stall, jam from Maggie’s Homemade in Oxfordshire stall and two sausage rolls or scotch eggs from Winslow Pates and Terrines but there simply wasn’t time, this time!

food at The Pig Place

Staff members...

Well, I must go and check on the greenhouse and get some fresh air; I must also clock-up more steps on my iPhone to go with the 2740 done earlier this morning and, well whatever else needs must today!!!

I'm now watching the proceedings on Horse Guards Parade with Royalty and Veterans in attendance and would wish all peoples and veterans everywhere "Good Remembrance" on this very special VJ Day 2015.

Daisy





Saturday Morning Chatter – Saturday, 8th August 2015 - of TV cooking, gardening andmy

Saturday Morning Chatter – Saturday, 8^th August 2015

Well, here we are again.  Another week of working, eating, gardening and TV viewing has passed us by and mostly all’s well with each person’s individual world.  That’s my hope for everyone this morning!!

a pretty poppy from our WI wild seed flower garden..

OK did you manage to catch any programmes of The Great British Menu and wonder at the creations of the Scottish team?  I viewed Jack’s interpretation of this year’s theme – The WI – with great interest, being a WI member and a most enthusiastic cook for the last 50 years!

Then what about Bake-Off with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood and the new cast of wanna-be winning bakers.  Loved them all but particularly Flora, Marie and Ugne and poor Stu, the first member to be sent home.  Bad luck Stu but do keep making and baking – you’re a star just being amongst this year’s contestants.  Well, it’s biscuits for next week’s programme and, having been a crumb-fan for most of my life, I’m looking forward to what our bakers will be whipping-up next week!

here's something whipped-up in my kitchen folks....anyone for tea? xxx

I’m afraid I’ve not carried out my self-promised daily morning/evening walk – mostly too busy dashing off to do stuff to walk which, in my defence, I must say seems to be the problem for most of us, that of fitting in our daily walk-exercise routine.  That gym, swimming pool, park should all be within 15 minutes’ distance from where we need to get to from our present position.  Well that’s what they said a few years ago but now, the thing is to include your routine exercise within your own particular activities for any day. 

my favourite green gym....

And, actually, that’s what I’ve done this week!  Gardening, housework, shopping alongside the occasional walk whenever possible.  My highest step count for the week so far has been 6728 for Thursday which I’m rather pleased with.  However, I’m hoping for a higher stepping rate soon and know it’s that little extra that does the trick of getting me healthier, trimmer and eventually fitter!!! PS have you noticed I’ve not mentioned the “s” word yet but I ’m sure you must know which word I mean, hey?  No prizes for guessing but answers on a postcard could be interesting….

 I picked a small bunch of Sweet pea blooms this week and they’re still sitting on my desk beside me, looking really pretty and OMG I’d forgotten just how sweetly they scent the air.  “Must grow some for myself next summer!”  ..

Fancy that, already thinking about next year’s sowings and plantings when we’re still knee deep in this year’s summer, the sun is shining and the garden is calling me to come out and check on my tomatoes, runner beans, courgettes and my flower garden...phew!

OK folks – enjoy your weekend, smell the flowers and catch a little bit of sun!!!

Happy days and fun weekends…

Daisy xxx                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Deddington Farmers' Market for Fresh Local Food - Saturday, 25th July 2015 - Buy Local Eat Well!

Deddington Farmers’ Market for Fresh Local Food – Saturday 25^th July 2015 – Eat local Eat Well!

 We are going to market to buy at Deddington Farmers’ Market today for the cupboard is bare and….!  Well, not quite but  it’s a good excuse to be out and about early this Saturday for the Dear SO also has plans to watch both the practise and qualifying sessions for the Hungarian GP on TV today.  The sun is up bright and early but OMG it was still cold as we got out of the car, squeezed into one of the only parking spots around the market square where a great deal of activity was already going on.

And we had a granddaughter with us too for extra fun…!

We first stopped at Nathan’s Pie Mighty Pie stall, instantly liking the look of his vegetarian tart of caramelised onions, aubergine and mild goat’s cheese one of which came home with us and very much enjoyed.  The cheese was nicely mild and definitely incapable of overpowering the veggie content, thankfully, as I’m not a great fan of such cheese – find Nathan at – www.pieandmightypies.co.uk

While Himself and granddaughter went off to see what they could see, I headed for Mr. Anson’s vegetable and flower stall where I enjoyed buying salad onions, carrots, vine tomatoes, rhubarb, red onions, courgettes and broad beans; contact details for Mr. Anson by telephone – 01608 683289

Next to The Green Grosser’s stall of Middle Barton to sample their fruit vinegars finding the 

raspberry vinegar, almost too vibrant but delicious and warming and the Tayberry vinegar quite perfect for its subtlety of flavour.  So choosing the tayberry mix I also picked up a garlic bulb and lettuce to take away with me for contact – carlanngross@aol.com

I found the rest of my family tasting chocolate with The Chicken Shed folk, new to the market today, with their distinctively wrapped bars of chocolate demanding to be tasted.  They had a salted flavour, a minted bar and their cinnamon spice chocolate bar, which is the one I plumped for.   We unwrapped the bar almost as soon as we got  home finding it an instant hit for our taste buds, making  the chocolate disappear within seconds!  Um! It was truly Glorious Chocolate as so named by the nice folk of The Chicken Shed, organic, wholesome and with no added sugar and you can find them and their products via – www.thechickenshed.eu – We definitely found their chocolate -“Glorious by name and Glorious to taste!"

Then to the fresh green veggie stall of the Styan Family Produce for red Swiss chard, Nero Cavollo, Spinach and a tub of their delicious deep red cherries which were all gone by Sunday morning……photos….you can find them by telephone on – 01386-860597

And then I simply had to visit Chris at the New Creation Farm stall for new seasons deep red plums and gorgeous English apricots which were really very good to eat.  Find Chris at – www.newcreationfarms@gmail.com or contact team at Deddington Farmers’ Market – market@deddingtonfarmersmarket.co.uk

We went into the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul to visit the craft stalls and collect the Merrythought teddy bear for my youngest grandson’s christening present from Sue Jeffries Antiques stall.  Sue seems always to have a most intriguing collection of presents for all ages and definitely own presents if one needs a particular item; be sure you will find whatever it is you were or will be looking for very soon.  Contact details for Sue are – farmhen@googlemail.com 

We also chatted to new stallholders for AR Gill Pottery, Louise and husband team, who make their excellent frost-proofed terracotta flower pots in the Cotswolds and for contact details get in touch with the market people at – market@deddingtonfarmersmarket.co.uk

We had coffee plus crunchy meaty sausage rolls from those pate people – winslowpatesandterrines@gmail.com

We chatted to friends everywhere before coming home with a very large basket of market goodies where I began at once to prepare veg for the ‘fridge. Separating stems from the chard, black cabbage and spinach, podding the beans and storing the salad items into their special store.  I will begin making a soup with a few left-over ‘fridge veggies plus the washed and diced stems from today and I have a little chicken meat to dice up to add as well.  It won’t be an elegant soup but one fit to recover with after a busy morning in the garden which I do so insist on having – easy food ready and waiting to be eaten the moment I come home hungry and pooped from my exertions.

I bought several plants and herbs here too - 

I must give you my recipes soon!

Happy eating and market visiting...

Daisy xxx

       

Daisy's Diggings - Friday, 31st July 2015 In the garden with Daisy

I have beanlets on my runner beans just spotted this evening after I'd cleared my                       courgette patch of weeds and lingering greenery.

I began this work with my trusty hoe, managing to scrap away a good collection but eventually the fork and spade had to be brought into action. Thankfully the ground was a great deal more amenable to digging after recent rains than before, when I'd begun the work.  However, it still took a good hour to clear out the embedded plants and get my fork into the heavy soil but the benefit was great with a whole tub of weeds and soil to add to my two compost bins which, I noticed the other day, were rather dry and busy with insects.  I must add that Garotta mix to help speed up the decomposing process.

Well I planted my four fruit bushes, two blackberry and two gooseberry, watered therm well and became busy with the garden broom.  I have a flower bed at the far end and there's a small collection of sweet-smelling herbs in the old "cold-frame" and a second bed on the left of this for rhubarb, lady's mantle and my orange geum plant.   I grow geum because my step-grandmother always grew it and, after she  died, our elder sister gave a garden-home to the last remaining gum; it's become a family plant and I've now bought another geum, a large yellow-bloomed plant,

The strawberries have fruited well, I've enjoyed a mouthful of raspberries and now I'm gathering tiny delicious red tomatoes, slim courgettes and yesterday, my first green pepper.  The  chilli peppers are growing well and they will turn red eventually and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for aubergine from my plant simply covered with tiny violet coloured flowers; now wouldn't that be fine to pick these for myself!.......here's a few photos...

Runner beans, nasturtiums, chives, parsley and courgettes

spot the beanlets?

do you spot the flowers

my flower bed - spot the green feathery fennel

today's harvest

and my coriander plant or cilantro if you prefer!!!

In my flower garden, the marjoram is flowering very prettily and various other small plants are performing well.  I must split the two large herb plants this autumn and tidy everything up but for now, the garden looks very pleasing.  What did need attention was the untidy front edge and, thinking to myself this would not take too long to do now, I got started but, oh dear me, the job took a good hour in the heat of the day!  But it was well-worth the effort.  It's not quite perfect yet, my cutting-edge but the final sorting can be done next week hehehe....here's a photo or two..

In our WI Grow Wild Seed Kit garden at Katharine House Hospice I collected the few poppy seed heads, weeded out the groundsel plants and took photos of the hoverflies and such like flitting about and over our blooming seedlings.  Then I planted our garden identification seedlings into their new home from their individual flower pots where I'd thought to keep them safe from  unknowns, ah ha, like the groundsels which, frankly, I had failed to recognise as they took hold amongst the poppies, corn chamomile, dead nettle and stinging nettles!

A light watering of the seedlings and I'm done 'cos I don't want to encourage my old friend Moley Mole to recommence his digging again, and a few photos for the albums and I could go home - after I'd been to check on those veggies in a family garden on the way home!!!

To my great the dear SO was already there, watering away like a good'un so after a few minutes chat I was on my way home for a spot of lunch.

Well, that was a good morning's digging and more of Daisy's Diggings later.

Bye bye Daisy xxx