Rain, rain go away

Unfortunately the sunny weather hasn't lasted, and it is raining again.  Bleak. Ian reckons the rain is good as it keeps the house rainwater tanks topped up!  (by topped up, he really means overflowing)  So, what to do when the weather is wet?  Cooking (and eating) of course.

The preserving tradition started with good friends on the West coast is being continued.  Apples so far, and hopefully pears sometime soon.  We also have quite a lot of Davidson plum trees, with fruit dripping from them, and they'll also get the fowlers vacola treatment.  I must say though, it's not as much fun without good friends to share the peeling and conversation.

New culinary ventures include sausages, these are a spicy chorizo pork sausage;

...and Ian was very helpful with these sausage rolls.  The filling is lamb and honey - made into sausage rolls as I didn't have sausage casings at the time;
 

..and cheese.  The waxed cheese is a Farmhouse Cheddar, ready to eat in a few weeks, the one on the left a parmesan style called Asiago, ready to eat in two months. 

I've been pleasantly surprised at how easy (Claridge - that's for you :)) it is to make cheese, and doesn't really take much time either.  Although there is a bit of waiting between steps in the process, that time is easily filled tending the chooks or getting dinner ready.  We've also enjoyed home made mozzarella, haloumi and fetta.  I thought the mozzarella was average, probably more to do with my lack of technique than anything, but the fetta !!  Fantastic !!  Lovely and creamy and salty, and it's easy to control the saltiness by leaving it in the brine for longer or shorter time.  Will definitely be making this one again.  The haloumi was very good and I will make that again, but not significantly better than store bought (unlike the fetta).

Finally a pic or two of the 'brewery', Ian's second (or is that third?) man cave.  The brewing continues with stout, lager, and a low carb beer in stock.  Last week was more bourbon,rum and limoncello (Muscas take note !!)  Cider is next.