Bank holiday!

Working in retail, bank holidays don't really mean anything to me, but I have a weeks holiday this week, so today I tret me sen to a 'bank holiday',

The sun was shining and so it was time for the annual blackberry picking trip with my mum to the park on the end of my street. We timed it just right this year and found a whole new load of patches.

We also bumped into another mother and daughter blackberry picking combo! We gave them pointers to the best places for the biggest berries! We also stopped by the duck pond and I got a can of fizzy Vimto, bank hol treat!!

Gonna make some jam and most likely a crumble, as I love crumble!!

I spent the afternoon playing with Lego!! I dug it all out from on top of my wardrobe and got going.

I found some cool bits to make my known mini figures, but mostly got it out so I could make myself a little display thing for my minifgs (real and customised!)

There's a selection of mini figs from different series' (mostly the cool lady ones!) and ones I've made myself and finally put up the killjoys ones Kandy got me last Christmas!!.
I love Lego!

 

 

 

Then the rest of the day was spent working on something new, eating and watching TV. Bank holidays are alright!

Rosehip syrup / Blackberry jelly!

The other week my mum and I went on our annual blackberry pick to the park on my street, but we got about 10 blackberries, this weather had confused the brambles.
On Monday we thought we'd take advantage of this late summer sun and went to the park, where we came across a shit loads of ripe and ready blackberries (we had to put a some in my mum's glasses case!) and some rosehips! So we went home got some suitable vessels and picked some more blackberries and rosehips. My mum has made them into some sweet tasty treats!

Rosehip Syrup
You will need:
- 1 lb of rosehips
- 8-12oz of sugar
- 3 pints of water
- Muslin

Make sure all the stalks are removed from the rosehips. Give them a quick wash. Place them in a blender.
Transfer the rosehip mush to a pan of boiling water (3 pints) simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
Strain through some muslin into another pan, allowing a majority of the liquid to pour through.
Then add sugar ( the more you add the sweeter it is!) and stir until it's dissolved, then bottle it!

This could be used for lots of stuff. As a syrup on pancakes, ice cream, in yogurts. Kandy and I had it as a cordial, we used still water but think it will be super tasty with sparkling and I'm about to have it in some rice pudding!
It may be full of sugar but it's full of vitamin C so good for you!!

Blackberry and apple Jelly*
You will need:- 1 kilo (around 2lb) blackberries
- 350g (12oz) apples
- Water
- 1lb of sugar for each 1lb of sieved pulp

Core and roughly chop the apples (we just used ones form our tree in the back yard!) with skins on.
Put all the apples and blackberries in a heavy bottomed pan. Add just enough water to cover it up and simmer until soft.
Sieve the soften fruit and weigh the sieved pulp (discard the remaining)..
Add the sugar and put back into the heavy bottom pan.
Heat very gently until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring the jelly to the boil very rapidly for around 8-10 mins (stir if it is sticking) until the jelly reaches setting point. Setting point is, when it is placed on a cooled plate, run your finger over it and a skin is left.
Then pour into some clean jars, leave to cool and put on the lid!!

*Jelly as in jam not what you have with ice cream!