Spring has sprung!

Spring has sprung and the fishermen are on the beaches! Now I've nothing against fisherfolk as people, but they do have one or two very antisocial habits - the worst of which is leaving discarded hooks, bits of line and holey nets behind them when they go home. Not only is this bad for the wildlife, but it's horrible for dogs too - a friend's dog died when a discarded fish hook became lodged in her throat, and I always worry when we're on the Start Bay beaches as this is where the fishermen tend to congregate.

But .... Ben took revenge last week - he ambled up to one unlucky fisherman and casually cocked his leg - and a fishing rod on a tripod was liberally sprinkled! Well, how is an innocent young Newfie supposed to know the difference between tripod and rock/tree/other suitable area to cock his leg?

I've been working really hard on new designs for the summer season and the fish above are destined to appear on vintage linen/ticking totes - I think they'll look great. I'm booked to do craft shows at various locations through the summer months and so I need lots of stock. My shelves are always full at this time of year, but hopefully by the last show in October I'll be panicking because I've run out of stock!!

Homegrown is best!

As an amateur vegetable grower I must admit to some doubts regarding the productivity of my patch. Flowers - yes, I've grown flowers all my adult life, but vegetables - no - not until now that is. My kind next door neighbours started me off with some tomato and courgette plants, to which I added runner beans (almost foolproof), aubergines and peppers. We may well have had one of the wettest Julys ever down here in Devon but, fuelled by the warm sunshine we have enjoyed between the rain, my plants have grown and grown and grown.

And tonight I was proud to present my adaptation of Gordon Ramsay's Fish and Tomato Chowder. It was DELICIOUS!! Here's how it goes....

First put on your very beautiful DevonBear apron

Ingredients

good splash of olive oil
1 or 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
couple of handfuls of small new potatoes (pre-cook these or use up leftovers)
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
a few thyme sprigs from my own garden
2 bay leaves from my own garden
400g tin chopped tomatoes (but I think when my own are ready I shall use these and just add more stock)
1 pint hot fish or chicken stock
2 courgettes, roughly chopped from my own garden
handful of green beans cut into short lengths from my own garden
some chilli flakes to taste
1 lb white fish fillets (the fish van that visits the village every Thursday has a good selection of mixed fish fillets - only £3.50 for 1 lb)
bunch of parsley, roughly chopped from my own garden

Method

• Heat olive oil in heavy casserole. Add onions and celery, cook for 6-8 mins to soften. Then add carrots, pepper and herbs, then saute for 5-10 mins until veg are lightly golden.


• Add tomatoes and stock to pan, plus courgettes and beans and chilli if desired. Simmer for 5 mins. Thicken with a bit of cornflour/water if desired, then add potatoes, and simmer to warm through potatoes.


• Put most of the fish fillets on top of the vegetable mix in the pan. Give the remaining fish to the newfies who are absolutely starving as they haven't eaten for oh - at least 2 hours.


• Cover and simmer for 5-10 mins (bottom oven of Aga for me) until fish is just cooked through.


• Break the fish into large flakes and gently stir through casserole. Ladle into bowls and eat in secret so that the newfies don't realise what you're doing.

And that's it! It's so delicious you don't even realise it's healthy too. (Can always be followed with chocolate icecream, chocolate cake or best of all chocolate dipped strawberries if desired!)