Sunday baking

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while, know that we moved house just over 2 years ago, leaving a house in a small village and an established garden ( 20 years of loving care), and moved to a smaller house in the town, with tiny garden, which had very little in it - both the house and the garden became a new challenge.

2 years of work and the house is more or less finished, and the garden (despite its size) has been transformed, but there still is work to be done. But that is the fun of gardening, it is never finished.

We planted trees, to give us shade and to attract birds into out lifeless patch, and it worked.

One of the new trees is a quince, and this year it has given us the first real harvest - a dozen of these large beauties, a rather unexpected bonus from such a young tree.

We had never grown quince before, so we are thrilled that the tree has done so well.

So, what to do with the fruit?

Yes, there is the usual quince jelly, but I have come across a recipe for 

for a quince marmalade, which sounds little more interesting.

Quite timely, the "Delicious" magazine published in their October issue an article about quince fruit,

with some cooking ideas, including a cake, "Spiced Quince and Ginger Upside Down Cake",

which became my "Sunday baking " today.

It takes some time to prepare caramelised quinces, but well worth the effort, especially as you are getting a wonderful aroma of quinces all around the house while they are cooking. 

And this is the result,

the best upside down cake I have ever tasted; moist and spicy, with a unique quince taste, and quinces changed their colour to a beautiful pinky red.

The recipe suggest to serve it with a caramel custard, but I think this is so nice just as it is, I don't believe any addition would do it a justice.

In fact, we are so impressed with our harvest, that we have been out in the garden this afternoon to see if there is possibly some space left for another quince tree!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2015

day out - Lynton and Lynmouth

The weather is definitely letting us know that it is autumn, with quite a bit of rain this week, but the forecast for Thursday was good; 

so in the morning we packed a picnic basket  (probably the last one this year) and set out in the north west direction, to twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth on the north Devon coast.

This route ( just over 2 1/2 hours) took us first across Quantock Hills ,

and along the edge of Exmoor National Park,

past the Dunster Castle .

via the small seaside town of  Porlock .

Just a note of caution - if you ever take this route and come out of Porlock in the direction of Lynmouth, you will have to drive up a very steep hill with sharp bends; our small Honda Jazz just about made it in the first gear. In fact, DH has a childhood memory of having to get of the car and walking up the hill, while their car struggled to the top with only a driver in it.

Here we were at last approaching Lynton and Lynmouth ,

Lynton at the top of the cliffs and Lynmouth below. 

We parked our car in Lynton and had a short walk around,

before walking along a steep path down to Lynmouth.

Along the path are solar powered street lamps, each one donated by a local person or organisation.

On the way down we crossed the Cliff Railway, which connects the two towns.

In the middle of this picture below you can just about see a wooden cross - this is in the memory of 

Lynmouth Flood Disaster in 1952 .

After a very pleasant walk around we took the easy way back to the top,

We chose a different, slightly quicker and more pleasant route back home, which took us right across the Exmoor National Park, stopping on the way to enjoy autumn sunshine and to finish what was left of our picnic.

It was a very enjoyable day.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2015

Pansy Floral Tile

This was a pleasant diversion and a break from quilts, and it became a rather an addiction for a while; 

I just had to finish this first, before anything else.

Well, it is done now, my Pansy Floral Tile, from a kit by Sue Hawkins , it just needs a little pressing and pulling into shape.

I haven't yet decided what to do with it, a cover for my fabric journal (a long time in making) perhaps? 

The size of the tile, about 6 x 6 in (15 x 15 cm) would be just right. 

Or should I frame it and hang it on a wall like a picture?

I enjoyed the challenge of using various stitches; I found I am somewhat rusty, not doing much embroidery lately.

Back to quilts:  arriving in the post, latest issues of my favourite magazines - "Quiltmania" and issue no 2 of  the new "Simply Moderne", also by Quiltmania, both are English versions of French magazines. 

It is time to make a pot of coffee and loose myself in them :-)

Thank you for popping in to see me and a very warm welcome to my new followers!

The time seemed to have slipped by (where to?) and I need to catch up with my blog reading;
so I hope to pop in soon to see what you have been up to.

I wish you a busy stitching week ahead!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2015

early autumn at Stourhead

no need for words

Have a wonderful weekend!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2015