Saturday, December 29, 2012

Miss Marple & Biscuits


I am having a deliciously lazy Saturday at home, lounging about and devouring rooster-shaped pancakes by the plateful.  The animals are enjoying a slightly warmer day, but it is still very nice to have a little fire burning away in the wood stove, keeping the house cozy.  It's the kind of day where I just want to putter about in the kitchen, concocting various delicious eats and perhaps adding something to the pantry.

I still have quite a lot of grapefruit, and there are a few ways to make it into preserves.  Three days ago, I started the three-day process to make a batch of Gingered Grapefruit Marmalade.  While "three days" sounds like it might be a ton of work, it really isn't too bad at all.  Day one, you seed the grapefruit and whizz it in the food processor until it is very finely chopped, and then you simmer it for ten minutes, and it is left covered sitting out overnight.  Day two, bring it to a simmer again for ten minutes, recover it, and let it sit overnight again.  On the third day, it takes a bit more work and additions of chopped preserved ginger, pectin, and sugar, some serious simmering, and then you get to pour it into little jelly jars.  After that, all that is left is to sit back and admire the pretty pink glow of homemade marmalade.

I think I may concoct a Pomegranate Custard, which would be quite fitting with my current mania for Agatha Christie's Miss Marple episodes.  They are always eating various custards and puddings and biscuits by the plateful, and drinking quite a lot of tea.  Hmm, maybe I will need to break out my little brown betty tea pot and enjoy a cuppa or two.

Note:  The recipe I used for the marmalade can be found in a favorite book of mine, Well Preserved by Joan Hassol.  I've tried many of her concoctions, and they haven't failed me yet!


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