Blackcurrant bonanza

Finally managed to get to the plot on Sunday when the rain stopped, to find a cornucopia of soft fruit awaiting our attentions. The blackcurrants were particularly fine - some were the size of marbles and sweet enough to pop in your mouth like, well, sweets. We picked several pounds, and that was from a single bush. I am hoping we can barter a box or two for some freshly laid hens' eggs ...

There were also strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries to pick, plus the shallots are ready, which is fantastic. Considering how little time we've managed to spend at the allotment this year (and most of the hard labour hasn't been done by me, I hasten to add), it's nice that it's still rewarded us with some produce.

If I have time, I plan to make some blackcurrant ice cream, raspberry jam and, of course, blackcurrant jam, my old favourite. But that's all dependent on how long I can persuade my little one to sleep for ...

Also, weirdly, we found that after several failed attempts our swedes are actually looking like swedes rather than weedy, woody roots. Perhaps it's all the rain we've had this year, or the fact they're in a raised bed this year where the soil's looser?

Comments

[Matron]

I love this time of year, the soft fruit comes all at once! I freeze bags of assorted Summer fruit to enjoy in the midst of Winter!

[Andrew]

I'm very jealous - for some reason I only have a handful of Blackcurrents so far this year.

[Kim]

Those blackcurrents look delicious! What are the "swedes" to which you refer, though? (I'm not familiar with that term and am curious...)

[Philip Voice]

We waited patiently for the Cherries to ripen and a pack of Magpies ate the lot in less than 2 days!

Fresh fruit is great but the timing has to be right!

[Jane Perrone]

Swedes = rutabagas, Kim... just another one of those transatlantic translation issues we sometimes come across!

[Mel Rimmer]

Mmmm, time for summer pudding.

[TopVeg]

blackcurrant ice-cream sounds good!
TopVeg