About Me

My name is Jules and I am a wife, mum and nanna. I have recently taken early retirement from Special Education which was a job that i really loved. I am loving life and fully intend to make the most of it making some fantastic memories along the way. Family and friends are very important to me and I enjoy spending time with them. I love socialising and having a laugh.

Wednesday, 22 August 2018

Making the most of the free foods

Evening Everyone.
Hope everyone is well? 
Today I was speaking to a friend and she told me that she had been blackberry picking in the field behind her house. She sent me a lovely photo of four very fine looking apple and blackberry pies. They looked so delicious that I felt compelled to bake one myself.
We have plenty of blackberry bushes in the field opposite our cottage so off i went to pick some.
There were loads but I only took what I needed so that others have the chance to collect some too. You can see how laden the bushes are in the photo.
When I had enough I took them home, gave them a good wash and soaked them for an hour just to check for insects etc. 
Once I was sure that they were clean and pest free I made some pastry and made a lovely apple and blackberry pie with them. It was delicious even if I say so myself!

Sometimes even the simplest of foods can taste amazing and made all the better by using free, very fresh ingredients. I was inspired by someone else to make this pie so hope it inspires you to get foraging and baking too!
Do you ever forage for free food?
Jules x



I will try to read all comments and reply. Please be polite and kind. Thanks :)
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9 comments:

  1. Ivy22 August 2018 at 15:10

    I should pay more attention to these free fruits, but I am alway too late ;-)
    With the (expensive) result that I have to buy them.
    Your pie looks absolutely delicious!

    Time to call it a day, we are leaving for Lake Constance in 6 or 7 hours.
    Hope to be able to read your posts the next days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Retire-reduce-relax23 August 2018 at 10:28

      Have a fab time Ivy. You never know there may be some fruit left when you get back home x

      Delete
  2. only slightly confused22 August 2018 at 15:43

    I do my foraging in the grocery store now but...there was a time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Retire-reduce-relax23 August 2018 at 10:27

      I'm sue you pick up some lovely fruit from the store just the same x

      Delete
  3. Bea22 August 2018 at 16:18

    Mmmm...blackberries should be ripe around these parts as well now. I must remember to get out with my pail and get in while the getting is good. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Retire-reduce-relax23 August 2018 at 10:26

      Get out there Bea and get picking. I actually enjoyed collecting the blackberries apart from the occasional thorn. x

      Delete
  4. MarleneS22 August 2018 at 22:25

    I picked some this week and have blackberry vodka in progress, I might get some more for a crumble or two sometime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Retire-reduce-relax23 August 2018 at 10:25

      Blackberry vodka? Never thought of that. I bet I could make blackberry gin too for my daughter who is a big gin fan. Enjoy! x

      Delete
  5. Bovey Belle23 August 2018 at 12:11

    Hello. I've just come across your blog (and post) through Sue's blog (The Cottage at the End of the Lane). I have picked and frozen about 10 lbs of blackberries so far, and about a pound of Elderberries (still ripening round here). The Sloes are looking a bit sorry for themselves though - tiny from the drought we had earlier.

    I used to make Blackberry wine, and use surplus home grown raspberries for Raspberry Ratafia (the raspberry version of Blackberry Vodka). Yummy.

    ReplyDelete

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