Keeping summer in the pantry

I was just saying that it really feels like summer once the preserving has egun. I dont even like Gherkins, but this year the thought of bottling something i have organically (well, to the best of my ability)fills me with joy. Most times I have to buy the fruits when they are cheapest and then preserve them, but I had hoped growing gherkins was obtainable. And so after a daft batch of too early gherkins fizzled in a jar I then waited for some more to grow WAY bigger and today got a half decent jar, which i have pickled with my own garlic no less!!And so I present the finished item:

I just have to say that it is both a joy and a pain that more people are doing this for themselves. This is because it is FABTASTIC that everyone is going back to growing and preserving their own, the planet has so much hope now...but two of our biggest supermarkets didnt have white vinegar!! Also agee tops and accessories can be hard to come buy if you leave it til the last moment. I was okay I bought spiced vinegar for my picklesw but i am out of White..

I then turned to making a double batch of ice cream with the abundance of eggs we have. All the girls are laying at full strength although a couple of my old girls have begun the moult...this is very exciting for us as last year they didnt go through the moult...small things... Anyway the ice cream is an adult ice cream although Alex didnt have a scoop of it. It is made with Baileys. It was a beautiful creamy and proffessional (As Georgia called it) but very rich. To get throug it we may have to use the six jars of strawberry jam I (stupidly) made with half the sugar as sauce...Must.Not.Waste..

 The mistake bathc of Jam/sauce in the pantry, I made another two batches and then came over all domestic goddess(Something I attain to) and put pretty pink material(which is the backing to my pink quilt) and made little covers. So pretty next to the stewed plums and new wine glasses. Then GHIU put his ginger beer rustically next to it all.!  But the promise of ginger beer is exciting. Im glad he did it as I couldnt be bothered..He is always after the perfect ginger beer and this one came from the same book that the Gherkins and The baileys ice cream came from (which is Honegrown #no 2  if your interested)

The humidity today is dreadful, there has been light showers, and humidity so thick its a bit like walking around in a steamy shower (well thats what it feels like anyway) The rest of Nz is going to be having a few storms and heavy rain warnings, but it seems other than the odd saving grace of a strong breeze we are missing out on the drama. HOWEVER we didnt escape the drama of an earthquake. 5.5 so not a tiny one!! It is earthquake weather after all.!
Happy shaking
Love Cherry