Pumpkin Pie

My Mother used to cut recepies out of Womens magazines and stick them into a scrap book. Anyone remember Womans Weekly, Womans realm, Womans world, Woman at home...? Ahh such homely pursuits... Anyway this is a well used, well tried and well trusted recepie for Pumpkin Pie.

Pie crust, or line a 10" flan dish with pastry.
2lbs pumpkin (should yield 3/4 cup puree)
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup cream
4 oz dark sugar
2 whipped eggs
Nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger
2 tabs brandy.

Preheat the oven at gas #8
Really whip together the sugar and eggs, gradually add the cream and milk, and then gently fold in the pumpkin puree. Season with spices to taste and add the brandy.

Do not be alarmed at the pouring consitency of the mixture, think of it as an egg custard.

Pour into the pastry case, and place in preheated oven at gas #8 just for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to #3 and cook for 30 mins or until cooked.

Eat.

Green Peppers

These green peppers survived better outdoors than the ones in my greenhouse. These were from some free seed given in the "Kitchen Garden Magazine" , a variety called "Yolo Wonder". Like my chillis they have not ripened yet.

Apparently you can keep a chilli plant in a greenhouse over winter and they will survive - I think they might be perennial or biennial... or something like that. My beloved Bob Flowerdew was talking about them. I will have to go and find out - unless, of course you know different? 

Sungold tomato

This Sungold tomato was a volunteer. Let me explain - I had mulched my tomato hedge with a thick layer of compost, when a few weeks later (back in May) a little bunch of tomato seedlings were poking their way out of the soil. A sungold tomato in the compost from last year had germinated about 30 seedlings in close proximity. I admired their will to live.

Potted up a few, and here is one. So glad I will have some seed for next year, they are fantastic and very very sweet.