Cider making

apple year

So far every odd number year is a good apple year here. When in such a year, most home gardeners cannot use up the huge harvest. 

 

We get our cider making equipment ready and accepted contributions from friends of different varieties of apples that mature now, there will be more rounds of cider making later on the year. 

freshly pressed mix apple juice

Invited a few friends to join us for a convivial morning of chopping apples, shredding and pressing in the traditional oak barrel press, followed by a well deserved lunch.

vegetables

Pickled cucumber - kept for a week in vinegar, salt, chili, sugar. Sprinkle roasted sesame just before serving.

Pickled Khol Rabi - kept for a day in salt, pepper and fennel seed.

Baked thin green pepper Lombardi - shake peppers with a tbsp olive oil, bake at 200˚C until slightly golden, around 12 minutes, sprinkle salt on top and serve.

Baked ratatouille - cut zucchinis, eggplants, beetroots into bit size pieces, season with salt, olive oil and fresh thyme, bake at 170˚C until soft, around 25 minutes. Cut cherry tomatoes into halves, season with salt and olive oil, bake at 170˚C for 10 minutes to soften. Mix together with some fresh parsley and serve.

Cairo lamb bun inspired dish

Cairo lamb bun - cut lamb meat into small pieces, season with salt, cumin seed, pepper, olive oil, brown sugar for a few hours. Prepare in a serving dish some cherry tomatoes cut into halves, sun dried tomatoes into pieces, season with salt and add some water to soften tomatoes, add a good handful of fresh herbs, coriander, parsley, basil etc. 

tomato and herbs for Cairo lamb bun

Cook lamb meat at high heat, pour into tomato and herb mixture, mix well. Put a good heap on a soft bun.

apricot plum upside down cake

Apricot and plum upside down cake - cut apricots and plums into halves, remove stones, add a pinch of salt and enough sugar to sweeten and soften. Line the bottom of a baking tray with paper, arrange apricot and plum halves tightly on the bottom, pour a sponge cake mix on top, bake at 170˚C until cooked, around 25 minutes. Turn cake upside down, serve with remaining apricot and plum sauce and sour cream.