The Delargo Gardens - December

 Here we are again me dears. It's the end of December and the end of 2023. We have passed the Solstice and light and life slowly returns to the garden.

 

 

 There is not a lot to see this month even the Salvias have almost given up, so time for some fresh blood. I thought a few Polyanthus would be jolly. This old one below is growing in the top field. It does not look so jolly but the slugs like it.

 

 

Some of the Salvias still have some flower but look a bit moth eaten

 

 

Our brave little Campanula is still refusing to give up.

 

As is our last remaining plucky little Pelargonium

 

 

Not much to see but at least we have had something in flower every day of the year

 

Time to have a look around at the garden.

 

The Taro is still in leaf and shows just how mild December has been

 

Looking forward to 2024 the Scilla peruviana or Portuguese squill is full of promise for next Spring

 

I was a bit late sowing the foxgloves last Summer but I think I will get away with it.

 

Our wallflowers are still waiting to be potted up and I have bought some Pansies and Violas from the dead and dying shelf at 'Homebase' to go with them.

 

Well there we are me dears. I hope you have not been too disappointed by lack of interest but fear not. We will have two bonus posts to compensate before we get to the January garden. Firstly the annual 'A Year on One Page' post and of course the world famous 'Delargo Towers Fuchsia Fest'. I leave you with a sneak preview - Fuchsia Blue Pearl.

 

 

Both Donny and I wish every one a Happy, Heathy and Wealthy New Year !

Ttfn

Madam Arcati Cooks the Books #3; Mrs. K. F Broughton

Madam Arcati Cooks the Books #3

Here we are again back in the Kitchen with Book number 107 of 297.
Pressure Cooking Day by Day by Mrs. K. F Broughton, first published in 1970 my edition is 1975.

I love my pressure cooker and I love this book. I use and refer to it regularly.
Kathleen Frances Broughton was a hero and a pioneer. She was working with pressure cooking from 1948. Her job was to educate the public on it's use and to create safe wholesome recipes.

During the war she volunteered as a Catering Officer with the Quaker 'Friends Relief Service' click for more info.  working with displaced persons and concentration camp survivors.
In 1948 she joined Prestige just at the time they were working towards the first pressure cookers being introduced into the UK.

This is a very English and a very 1970s Bœuf Bourgignon. It is also easy, quick, reliable and delicious.

We all know you can not add flour into a pressure cooker! but she does and it doesn't burn ! (make sure you completely brown every bit of the meat in a separate pan and Deglaze).

 Sorry about the pink plate, I wish I picked a different colour but that is the plate I always use when dusting meat in flour and yes that is a big table spoon.

I should have finished it in the oven to make it a bit more casserole like but hey, I didn't. This was actually the leftovers I had for my lunch. I didn't take a photo of the finished dish at the time.

Well there it is But there is more ! Mrs Broughton's early work was so important both the booklets for Prestige and Tower pressure cookers used her recipes. Jon remembers a recipe for Chili con carne with afection and bought me this

 And yes It is by Mrs Broughton and is fab but modern taste might need to reduce the sugar and then balance the vinegar.

 The recipes might be, as I have read in reviews terribly out of date and old fashioned compared to modern writers but she did the ground work and all other pressure cooker book writers stand on her shoulders

Ttfn

PS. When I bought this book a few years ago I Googled  Mrs Broughton and found a lot of information about her. Now I can find nothing, not even her maiden name let alone any thing about her early years. If anyone has any information please let me know and I will post it. She should not be forgotten.