Tuesday 20 September 2011

Autumn Happenings.





The weather is not how I picture autumn at all. I like it to be chill in the mornings with hot golden sun during the day, cooling down as dusk gently pulls it blanket over the skies to a chill that accompanies me as I light the fire. Perfect. Instead we have gales and rain with occasional flashes of sun. Ah well, it makes for huddling away indoors and plenty of cooking. This of course leads to plenty of eating... Hurrah!






Mr Davey and the girls baked caramel cupcakes with Isabella on caramel duty. I love the pose! Can't think where she gets that from. Lucy was in charge of the Kenwood to make the moist cake batter.





Unfortunately they made far too much caramel and I have spent much time since eating the remains straight from the pan instead of using it to top shortbread. My poor teeth! And I am not even a particular fan of sweet things! The cupcakes themselves were just gorgeous and Dave and the girls also made chocolate orange mousse while the cooking mojo was on them.






I, in the meantime, was on dinner duty with a little glass of the necessary to keep me company. Marsala in the autumn. Such bliss with its syrupy, sweet deliciousness and perfect to slug into gravy for added depth.






Dinner was also bliss (if I do say so myself and I do) with slow roasted locally reared belly pork - my favourite - accompanied by fennel, celeriac and onions braised around the joint until caramelised, crispy roast potatoes, Yorkshire puds which we have with any and all meats, and leeks with a Danish Blue cheese sauce. Oh, and of course that gorgeous gravy. The whole was followed by an afternoon of Mr Darcy as we slouched on sofas to Pride & Predjudice. So perfect.






No wonder the troops look so happy.






Outside Isabella and I have been hoarding away signs of autumn to bring home and cover the windowsills. Feathery, spiky fronds of old man's beard are everywhere draping their stems over the hedgerows.






I picked another Eglantine rose to bring indoors before it finally gives up and drops its leaves ready for the winter. I do wish Mr Austin had spelt it with a 'y' as did Shakespeare as it is far more romantic to mine ear. Do you agree I wonder or is it just me who reads so much into the written word? Whatever, she is a beautifully perfumed rose and her gentle perfume will drift across the room in the evening warmth of the fire, drawing my eye over to where she sits on the sill keeping company with jars of pine cones and the clematis fronds - a true melding of summer and autumn.






Chutney making is underway now with the gorgeous Spiced Damson recipe 'foraged' from dear Zoe. I am so looking forward to eating this with the cold cuts and cheeses of a Boxing Day buffet, especially as it is made with the Kea plums we collected from Coombe with Diana last year. Thank heavens for freezers!







And lastly, I have finally started a new knitting project though pictures of the pattern will have to wait until a brighter day. As it is the light has turned my lovely sedge blue cotton to coarse and grey.





It is an interesting pattern with twisted eyelet detailing on the rib which I like the look of. Hopefully a slouchy cardigan will emerge and not be relegated to the back of the wardrobe - Dave is not convinced as the pattern is a very old Woman's Weekly one which truly does look a little (a lot) dated, but hey ho. We shall see!






Off to work now. Have a lovely day whatever you are up to. x

16 comments:

  1. Ah Pipany!

    What a cosy comforting post. So lovely. Those cakes look scrummy! Now I am not a pork lover but even so that roast does sound heavenly! Nothing like a cooked sunday roast. We have one most sundays in the autumn/winter. A very comforting thing it is too.

    I love the pattern on your new project. I am knitting some wrist warmers for my eldest at the mo. Making it up as I go along. I know the basics of knitting along with the Plain and peal stitch but how I wish I could learn more. Seeing this almost sleeve like creatation is really wanting me to be able to knit a little cardi or two!

    Look forward to seeing your knitting project complete.

    MBB x

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  2. that lunch looks delicious - I love pork too.

    I wish I could knit - really I do, but I am a complete failure at it. My quilt however is coming on rather better.

    Thank you for the mention - hope you enjoy xx

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  3. What a lovely autumny post, I really enjoyed it. Love the roast, the family shots, the apples and all the goodness you have shared. I love autumn too, and your apples reminded me of our own from early this year. Our apple tree is just getting it's leaves as we are in early Spring. I do enjoy our different seasons, it makes the year so interesting! Take care Pip xo

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  4. There's something about food in serving dishes in the centre of a table that is very comforting to me. My own family didn't do this but my best friend's did and I loved it. It felt so cosy and quite different to us at home eating tea at different times and perched on knees. It is something I will do as my son gets older. x

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  5. Oh it all looks so delicious, not to mention warming so I won't put the heating on after all. Blowing a gale here now!!

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  6. Aren't the hedegrows and verges turning up some bounty just now, including Old Man's Beard. I've been out this morning and picked a great bunch of autumnal leafy/frondy stuff. If only I had roses like that perfect pink beauty to add to the mix. And yes, Shakespeare got the spelling right I'm sure ;D

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  7. Lovely post so evocative of autumn I thought. Can't wait to see the pattern for the knitting - the stitch looks lovely even if the colour isn't reproduced to your liking.

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  8. Pipany, your family surely do know how to make the most of blustery days. All that baking and cooking and ... eating looks like lots of fun!

    Your windowsill still life with pine cones, rose, etc., is just lovely. What a treat for the eye of the passersby.

    Best wishes.

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  9. Pipany,

    Your words are poetry to my ears! You have conjured up the essential components of an idyllic autumn day. All your cooking is making my mouth water but it doesn't matter because it is also weaving a spell of contentment and cosiness.

    Your family is so happy. It's lovely to see.

    Relish it all, dear Pipany. What shall you be making with your apples, I wonder?

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  10. Hello Pipany I have really enjoyed every bit of your warm and cosy autumn post. Beautiful pictures, delicious food and such a happy family feeling...Your cosy knitting looks lovely too. Have a wonderful autumnal week.
    Helen x

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  11. Yum - caramel.

    I'm afraid I have such a sweet tooth.

    Love all your autumnal pictures and that pose - ahhhhhhhh, such a natural.

    Nina x

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  12. Hi Pipany,

    Your family dinner looks like a very happy event! Now that our girls get older, we rarely eat together. Only on Sunday's really. Your dinner looks and sounds very tasty. So do your cupcakes & chutney. They make me want to go into the kitchen straight away and make something special too :-)!

    Happy evening,

    Madelief x

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  13. Pip, do you have the recipe of that pork it looks delish! I made some scrumped hedgerow Bullace and Crab Apple jelly that would be yummy with the pork, it's made me hungry just looking at it :DClairex

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  14. Hi Pipany,

    Just wanted to say 'hello' really. Your blogs are always so beautiful and life enriching. The colours are gorgeous. Must be something in the Cornish air - or else it's the radon in the rocks! Theo still has his Babbit and there may be call for another Babbit in due course, you never know. Take care Fenniexx

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  15. Oh your post has mande me feel very warm and cosy - the description of the food and the aafternoon with Mr Darcy is just wonderful..Im all glowing with it!! :)
    The knitting looks great too...must try and re-learn how to do that, used to as a child and then gave it up (sadly). Hope you're having a glorious weekend.

    Love Julia x x x

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  16. What a wonderfully cosy, homely and delicious post. That lunch sounds delcious. I'm starving now! Don't your girls look adorable!

    I thought we were in for a dry, warm weekend but its damp, dreary and down right chilly up here today - just how I like it.

    Enjoy cosying up.
    Stephx

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