Sunday 13 November 2011

Totally Saffy

In amongst the bulbs I planted a couple of weeks ago were one or two Crocus sativus. They were already starting to flower, so I didn't have high hopes for their survival.
This is the saffron producing Autumn flowering crocus, which produces pretty, if short-lived, lilac striped flowers punctuated with crimson stigma.

As always, I stuffed them into a pot & let them be. It has still been so exciting to see them bloom. We carefully extracted the three saffron stigma from each flower, and put them to one side to dry out. I had in mind a recipe for St Lucia cakes (Saffron Buns) that a Swedish friend made for me many years ago, and just had enough saffron without having to cheat with turmeric.

The recipe looks more complicated than I remembered, but I set an afternoon aside to get baking with the boys.

The result? We'll have to wait to next year. 'Someone' tidied the saffron strands into the bin...

Radish Blue...

Last year I got a selection of different vegetable seeds to try. I love trying new crops, as long as they are easy to grow, and was particularly intrigued by a European radish.
Labelled Radish 'Hilds Blauer Herbst und Winter', I sowed a row in the spring as a catch-crop, to fill a gap whilst the soil warmed up & we got more organised with our weeding & sowing.

As usual, I lost the seed packet within minutes, so I pulled a few early when they were small to try at home. Man alive, they were hot! Having retrieved the packet, I realised they should be left until the autumn to crop, and are usually served sliced & salted & served with German beer. They have formed the most beautiful lilac honey scented flowers that have been covered with pollinators, and are worth growing for these alone.

I have saved lots of seeds (the pods can be eaten when young), which I will sow again, and enjoy giving a few away. The roots are still as hot as before, but work really well as an annual horseradish, especially in a beetroot relish recipe by Pam Corbin for River Cottage http://www.foodloversbritain.com/FoodMatters/Recipies/Preserves/Roasted-Sweet-Beetroot-Relish/
I just hope they store as well as the packet suggests...we still have a dozen blue radishes the size of baking potatoes...