Scribble Picnic - up a Ladder. . . . . . . .

This week's theme word for Michael's Scribble Picnic is LADDER.

At first I thought of showing my naughty husband on a ladder in the 

garden blowing the pollen off the roof - however the new rule around

here is no high ladder climbing. He's just about in agreement

after 50+ years in insurance claims, and realizing he's getting too 

old for these shenanigans. Broken bones are no fun at any age, but 

at our ages they can often mean the beginning of the end!

So, you get just a quaint little 'Polaroid style' watercolor peek at an old

 orchard ladder, and nothing more dangerous than a basket of fresh-picked

 apples balancing on a rung.

I'm a bit rushed with lots to accomplish around here before leaving

 for Europe soon - but will try to participate next week because I do love

 the next theme. . . . . . TREE. It will be hard though to 

find a favorite - I love so many different ones.

Breakfast with Apples. . . . . . . . .

I've been really busy with apples lately. Peeling, slicing, chopping. 

Baking them into cakes, desserts, and yesterday an apple pie (my lovely
 friend Penny's recipe of course). All are always good as apples never fail.

Have also been poaching them for adding to my morning yogurt or oatmeal,
 even better from a nutritious point of view I guess.

Sadly, due to throat issues, I can no longer swallow raw apples.

Luckily I always preferred them cooked anyway, so I'm

happy to keep trying new recipes containing apples.

My favorite yogurt is definitely Trader Joe's Greek Yogurt with Honey
which comes in the useful and inexpensive 2 pound tub. 
It requires nothing to enhance it really, it's so amazing, but of course to make
 a meal of it I often add fresh fruits, perhaps a few nuts, some chia seeds, 
sometimes apple sauce - the little unsweetened tubs when in a pinch.
 But now I like to chop up a few apples, Golden Delicious being my favorite,
 they hold their shape and don't go mushy when poached quickly in a small
 saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water and a sprinkle of Demerara sugar.
I keep them in a covered container in the refrigerator - they last several 
days - to add to yogurt or oatmeal.

Did you make yourself a nutritious breakfast this morning?

Autumn means blackberries and apples. . . . . .

In the early 1950's, Great Britain still had a lot of 

post-war food rationing, however imported fruits and 

vegetables were starting to appear along with more 

seasonal local items. 

As a child, I recall the hedgerows around the fields being 

rife with fat, juicy blackberries at this time of year.  

With money short, we were sent out with a basket, 

an old damp flannel (wash cloth to Americans) for our 

soon-to-be deeply stained fingers, reminded to watch for 

cars (very few), and farm tractors in the lanes, and told 

to come home with a nice load of berries for 'pudding'. . .

and not to eat too many along the way!

Apples were plentiful once orchards were being better 

maintained again.

Although my mum made a scrumptious classic blackberry 
and apple tart, I'm still enjoying the ease and speed of 
rustling up a galette for a quick dessert. I've just 
about given up making my own crust and decided store-bought 
makes life much easier and they are really quite good.

With a box of chilled pie crusts (they come two to 
a package) kept in the refrigerator, and whatever fresh 
fruits you enjoy, this has to be quite a nutritious 
way to eat dessert, and personally I love cooked fruit 
rather than raw. Just don't overload it 
with sugar, only a wee bit required as all fruits are 
naturally sweet. 
This blackberry and apple version is perfect for autumn, 
as is the gorgeous plum one I showed HERE a few months 
back - with easy directions.
  

Today I'm cutting up one of these golden pumpkins to 

oven roast along with shallots and fresh herbs from the 

autumn garden. Will let you know how it turns out.