Summer is only 10 days away! As much as I look forward to it with so much anticipation, the few summer-esk days we have had so far have proven to be quite hot, almost too hot for me. Having said that I expect I will get used to it. I will need to adjust my routine. Ordinarily in winter I am slow to get outside so it warms up a little before I get started. But I think I need to flip this and get up and out early so I can take care of my sectors before it gets too hot, then come inside and do kitchen gardening or computer gardening in the heat of the day and then head back out for projects as it cools down again. I just need to find a new groove and rhythm – one that includes remembering to put on sunscreen and a hat before heading out into the garden.
Staying hydrated is also important in the heat of the day and so I have another recipe for you – not a vegetable one but a delish and refreshing drink I stumbled across called Haymaker’s Punch and was used back in the day to keep hay makers and farmers hydrated. I posted this over on my blog so thought I’d share it here too:
I’m not a fan of just water but need to stay hydrated while in the garden on hot days. So, I made some Hay Makers Punch. I’m not one for following instructions to the letter so I checked a few recipes and then gave it a whirl. It is quite easy to make, although I added all the ingredients before the water and then read that you’re supposed to boil the water and the ginger (- the amount varied so I finely grated a good knob of ginger) first to infuse the flavours then cool and add 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar so you don’t destroy the beneficial effects. Oh, and the juice of half a lemon juice is supposed to go in there too… I just added boiled water to everything, let it cool and popped it in the fridge. Everyone seemed to like it, so I made some more again today, but with only 1 tablespoon of vinegar and a touch more honey and a lot less ginger.
I also made my first jar of refrigerator gherkins. I only had 4 gherkins, just enough to fill a jar but not worth the bother of long-term pickling. I’m sure these ones will be gobbled up long before the short shelf-life recommendation!
The garden time is certainly beginning to share my time with the kitchen, and it is so nice to begin eating and setting aside the bounty for future days. Keep sharing your recipes so you can be in to win one of the THREE PRIZES up for grabs in this latest Mini Challenge. The LAST DAY IS FRI 26TH NOV.
Happy gardening and as always – if you want to get in touch leave a comment below.
Sarah the Gardener : o)
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