Chilli Crisis

Good morning, and here is the news. The chilli crisis has now reached epidemic proportions. They have taken over the fridge, the freezer, the kitchen, the larder and the conservatory. In an attempt to control numbers, many have been dried and imprisoned in jars, but the jars have now crowded most of the cupboard space. And they are still breeding in the garden. In a desperate last-ditch manoeuvre, I tried the neutralising tactic of adding them to a caramelised red onion chutney, but to no avail (ingredients: red onions, bay leaves, olive oil, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar — and chillies). Pickling was also suggested, but it didn't restrain them for long (pickling liquid: white vinegar, water, peppercorns, fennel seeds, salt, caster sugar, bay leaves). Watch out: they may soon be wriggling down a road near you. I shall not be in hot pursuit.

Pickled chillies.

Some think it incredibly silly

To eat a bowl full of raw chilli

When tradition agrees

It's best roasted with cheese —

Rocamadour, Reblechon or Caerphilly.

Harvest

Harvesting the last of the summer fruit before the first frosts. In the jars are pickled beetroot, dried chillies and plum jam. But what on earth am I going to do with all those fresh chillies? I picked another bumper crop yesterday. And there are already lots in the freezer and hanging up to dry. I made a chilli cheese omelette last night, but that only used two. Still, if an overabundance of chillies were the only problem in life . . .

Chillies And Cauliflowers

'A chilli,' said Rebecca, gasping, 'Oh, yes!' She thought a chilli was something cool, as its name imported, and was served with some. 'How fresh and green they look,' she said, and put one into her mouth. It was hotter than the curry; flesh and blood could bear it no longer. She laid down her fork. 'Water, for Heaven's sake, water!' she cried.

WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY Vanity Fair, Chapter 3

Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.

MARK TWAIN

The Garden In September

The roses just keep blooming and blooming . . .

. . . and the water lilies seem to like the refurbished pond.

Arctotis (Heidi) in three green pots.

Because of the long hot summer, the fruit and vegetable harvest has been bountiful this year. We've had copious amounts of potatoes, French beans, mangetout, lettuce and plums. However, the birds ate most of the gooseberries and blueberries, and, even though we'd netted the strawberries for protection, I wish we'd planted more. Leeks, cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli are on the way. The photo shows new crops of potatoes, lettuce and beetroot. They've shot up really quickly.

Oh, and there are lots of chillies! I love them. They're on the bush, in the fridge, in the freezer and hanging up to dry. And some are just about to go into a salsa verde. Yum!

These gorgeous blackberries were picked in a secret spot in the countryside where few people venture. Here everything's ready for a blackberry and apple pie. Just the pastry to make . . .

. . . mmm . . . not bad!

Here are some of the ingredients . . .

. . . for blackberry fool. Sheer indulgence!

There's a glut of plums. Amazing, really, since last year there were hardly any. The freezer is full. The wasps and butterflies have had their fill. But there are so many more we scarcely know what to do with them. We've had plum crumble, plum pie, stewed plums with custard . . .

. . . and plum jam, which proved delicious with butter on a baguette . . .