FIG CHUTNEY....YUMMY!!!

Today was supposed to be a nice easy relaxing day....at least that was until we got a call from an aquaintance saying she had far too many figs on her tree and could we use some.......well, is the Pope Catholic? We went straight  over and picked over 10kgs of figs..she even made us coffee and home made biscuits. In exchange I gave her a jar of my beetroot chutney....even if I say it myself the recipe I use for the beetoot chutney is the best ever...but I think I got the better deal!

Result!!!.....10 jars of chutney, 3 jars of figs in syrup and one happy bunny!!!

FIG CHUTNEY RECIPE

2.5lbs figs..chopped
1 onion chopped
2 cups malt vinegar
1/4 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups sugar...I use brown
1 teaspoon each of dried ginger and salt
1/2 teaspoon each of curry, mixed spice and cinnamon

Put onions, figs and half the vinegar in a preserving pan and boil till pulpy
Add sugar spices and rest of vinegar ..simmer until thick
Pot in sterilized, warmed jars.
Makes about 5 jars

Remember that if the jar has a metal lid to protect the inside of it from the vinegar with greasproof paper.


BOOKSWAP DAY

Once a month in the MacDonalds of our local town, Lezignan Corbieres ,..Little Fat Norman...(yes he calls himself that.) runs a bookswap club for ex pats. Its a straight one for one swap of books or dvds. No money changes hands and if you want to take any extra to what you can give then it just requires a contribution to the charity box. As well as providing a great service for us Norman fund raises for The British Leigon and does a brilliant job.
His website is a great for all of us living in Aude and Herault..check it out...
LFN.org.

 ONIONS ARE READY

Here are my onions...just relaxing.... before I string them all up!!!!!!!

Self sufficiency and frugality needs teamwork

My hubby and I make a good team

I say what needs to be done and he does it.

I have to face it he is not as "into" this as I am and doesnt have my enthusiasm but for someone in this position he works very hard at allowing me to follow my passion.

He is the muscle in this operation and much to his chagrin I keep thinking of things to do!!!!!

This morning we went for our usual walk aroung the garrigue and while I collected more brambles and rose hips he was collecting a bag of kindle wood ready for the winter. The last few years of training are paying off!!!!!

In a good team you need the thinker and doer.......and whilst I am not a non doer I am mostly the ideas person.

Like I said.....My hubby and I make a good team xx

FRUGAL: CHOICE OR NECESSITY

Being frugal,self sufficient and all those other ,at the moment , "in things"  ......is it your choice or is it necessity?

There is no doubt that most of our ancestors had little choice but to live that way...times were hard without any support of a social security system so being frugal was just the normal lifestyle.

When do most people think about being more careful with how they spend their money.....usually when there is not much money coming in or when cut backs need to be made to pay for something else. This is not out of choice either.

There have been several books about how to live cheaply..how to live for free...but I found that the majority are written by those who already have a good foundation of wealth....ie journalist from London downsizes to farmhouse with. 5 acres and proceeds to write book about it.
How to live cheaply... but you have several savings accounts to fall back on when things get really tough.
All that is choice.

I would like to think that a lot of us come in somewhere between the two.
We do not have a lot of money but we are not poor. If we chose to live extravagantly our outgoings would most certainly exceed our incomings. If we chose just to spend without looking for good deals and best value for money then there would likely be a shortfall.

We are not poor because we have a roof over our head that we have worked hard to pay for. We can pay our bills because we are careful with the power we use. Some bills are out of your control...c'est la vie....you just have to accept that and factor them in first. We have enough to eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Our income is less than the national average but do not feel  poor.

To live frugally and as self sufficiently as possible.....and remember we do not have our own garden  never mind a 5 acre farm.....is OUR CHOICE.
it's a choice of lifestyle that gives us pleasure as well as being productive. We save money on everyday things that with less thought and planning would cost you more.

I think we would all find it hard if living frugally was not a choice but a necessity...you never hear anyone say how happy they are to have no money at all and are living  constantly in debt.

So I am happy to be able to live this way out of choice.

VIDE GRENIERS IN FRANCE..OR CARBOOT SALES TO YOU AND ME

Sunday is big Vide Grenier day herein France. ( translates as empty your loft)

Unlike the UK, you set up a table ...usually in the street or market square.....so you dont really need a car except to transport your stuff. Also instead of having set places which hold them they tend to be in different villages each week.As there are not many charity shops here..in fact I haven't found any yet...they are really popular.

As yet we haven't bought much at them..that's because most of the stuff really is rubbish.
An example of today's offers....a rusty saw for 5 euros, a ladies dress decorated with brown sweaty armpits for 4 euros and several pairs of shoes with holes in.at 2 euros each. We are continually shocked by the prices they dare to ask for this stuff...and shocked that they think someone would be interested in buying it.

Of course if you can find ex pats who are selling then you are on to a winner....you see it's usually them who throw out good stuff...the french rarely do.

The french make do with what they have and rarely replace something just because they don't like it.

The one thing in common with the UK is......tacky ornaments....I wonder how anyone bought some of these in the first place...mmmm presents perhaps....they seem to do the rounds of car boot sales internationally!

As I say we rarely buy anything as I tend to buy something only if I need it and its useful.

Still...they are always interesting free entertainment as well as a chance to wander round villages that you may not have visited before.....well worth going to!

Our Potager before and after

We began our potager (allotment/vegetable garden) last year from an old vineyard. We were lucky that it had a well on the land and that we were able to rent it from a local vigneron.

There was a lot of digging to be done..the ground had lain fallow for several years.

As is often the case...especially in small villages..."its not what you know but who you know"
One of the local farmers came round and cleared the whole lot with his tractor in a few hours.
This is what I love about life in a small french village...everyone rallies round to help out whenever they can. People do favours not expecting anything in return apart from the pleasure of helping.
Its a great attitude and one which we follow wholeheartedly.

The whole area was fenced off...not so much to keep rabbits out but to prevent the wild boar rampaging all over the potager.

Yet another local man came down with a digger so that we could put in pipes from the well to a large water storage tank. We then needed to purchase a pump in order to get the water out as we could not find any of the old mechanism for the water wheel.
This well is the only water source in the village that so far in history has never dried up!!!!!

We planned what we could plant in the 9m by 25m space we had...it was a lot more than I had been used to. As well as the usual potatoes,carrots etc I wanted to try aubergines, melons and kiwi.

As the potager is some distance from the house we are unable to have any livestock which is the only thing I have been sad about as we would have loved to have some chickens and a pig.

This was the allotment in the first year of planting

We made several mistakes in the first year ....we should have listened more to the locals instead of doing what you did in the UK.

At the end of a working day here there is nothing nicer than taking in the view.......

NOT BAD EH?

The view of our village..Montbrun des Corbieres ...from the potager.......and yes...its uphill walk all the way back!!!!!

MELON SORBET

Our first melon was ready at the beginning if the week and now they are coming thick and fast so. It's time to make Sorbet.

MELON SORBET RECIPE

1 melon
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3 tbsps lemon juice
2 tbsps honey or syrup

Boil the water and sugar till syrupy
Leave to cool
Liquidize the melon, syrup and lemon juiceand then add to cooled sugar mix

If you wish at this point...and just for my daughter Alison who thinks I add alcohol to everything....
You can add some Cointreau or other fruity liqueur!

I prefer it without.....shock horror! The syrup gives it a nice caramely flavour.

Put mixture in plastic box and freeze.
When serving just take out a couple of minutes before to soften a little

Enjoy x

FORAGING IN FRANCE IN AUGUST

Down here in the South August is a time when most people are tending to their veggie plots.
In terms of foraging its Blackberry time...this year the fruits are particularly big and juicy.

WHAT I DO WITH BLACKBERRIES

Firstly, I open freeze them and pack them into plastic boxes. I do as many as I can according to freezer space. These are then ready to make all kinds of fruit puddings in the winter or just to add to yogurt and make a fruit smoothie for breakfast.

Blackberry cordial. Drink diluted...add to vodka and ice cubes for a kind of cocktail...make ice lollies...

Blackberry liqueur

Blackberry Jam. Although we don't eat a lot of jam it's good to have some jars for when we have visitors and for exchanges.

There are numerous recipes for the above and it's best to google to find the one that suits you best.
I find Micheal White..Foraging Expert and Jonathan Wallace ..self sufficient in Suburbia really good for this.

LAVENDER is abundant both in the gardens and the wild version in the garrigue.

WILD THYME AND FENNELl are easy to find.

The ALMONDS  are just starting to pop out. There are many wild trees in the vineyards. It is wise to taste one from a tree to find out the quality. Some tend to be a bit rancid if it is not a good quality tree.

FANTASTIC FORAGE AND FREEBY DAY IN MONTBRUN DES CORBIERES

It was a busy day in the Hay household yesterday.Lots of cooking, preparing, and foraging.

The day started with our first melon being ready...whoo hoo...

 

 

we are having much more success than last year. Last year our  first plants were not growing so well and I caused much hilarity at the"jardiniere" by saying I was having a problem with my melons. Seems we were watering them too much. We then discovered that we should not have planted them in the plot next to the butternut squash...something to do with the same insects that fertilize....as a result they all tasted a little unusual. However it made fantastic melon sorbet....a unique flavour!!!!

 

We picked also several kilos of tomatoes which I have made tomato and basil sauce to freeze..using our own garlic and basil....great for pastas and lasagnesWhilst these were cooking I prepared a three course lunch for our Dutch neighbours who are in the village on holiday. We look after their garden when they are not here in the winter.They also let us have their crop of olives and apples as they are never here when they are ready...so its nice to return a favour.

 



 

 

We decided to walk off our long lunch with a trek through the vineyards......it was lucky I  always take a plastic bag on these outings(you never know what you might find)) as there were lots of blackberries ready...

 

So.....we made some blackberry cordial.

 

RECIPE FOR BLACKBERRY CORDIAL

 

Put blackberries in a pan and just cover with water.

Cook till soft....about 20- 30 mins.

Strain the juice into a bowl and add 400g of sugar per litre of liquid.

Stir well to dissolve and then when cool decant into a bottle.

SIMPLE

 

Don't forget to keep the blackberries from this.... I added some apple and made a crumble for the freezer.

 

My french neighbour was off on her jollies to Spain and was happy to take some of our cherry tomatoes for their aperos...in return she gave me a cutting of a Laurier Rose. I do love this system of exchange of goods!!

 

 

IT'S LAVENDER TIME IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE

 

 

As we do not have a garden to grow these fantastic plants we rely on doing exchanges with our English neighbours Delia and Andy. We supply tomatoes,courgettes and peppers from our garden and in return we have large bunches of lavender. (As well as dozens of jam jars and several other favours!!!!)

 

I love cleaning the house with lavender water, use lavender oil in the bath and make lavender bags to hanging around the house.

 

Last year I made over 40 of these bags (by hand) as gifts for the ladies at my step-daughters wedding.

 

 

This year I want to try making my own oil. I  found a good recipe for lavender biscuits which I think would be really nice with our home grown rasps and strawbs.

some of the lavender hearts from last year...the one of the right was made by my friends daughter Becky. She was inspired when she came to visit  and decided to have a go herself. I have to say she did a lot more sewing on herws that I did on mine. Well done Becky x

So the end of a busy day........I am headed for a long bath...followed by watching 2 episodes of Game of Thones which had been waiting patiently for me!!!!


 

 

 



 



Beetroot Wine Recipe

We have been harvesting our beetroot for the last 3 months and have tried various recipes as well as making copious amounts of beeetroot chutney.
We lifted the last of the beetroot this week and decided to try making some beeetroot wine....at which the french were horrified. "What....you are making wine with vegetables" followed by a puzzled "Why"....and mutterings of strange English ways!!!

The result is quite interesting..a very luminous pink colour which I believes develops darker the longer you leave it....it is more of an aperitif/dessert wine than a quoffing wine but really nice for a change and another good way to use the beeetroot. I think it would make very good Christmas and birthday gifts.

BEETROOT WINE RECIPE

You will need  a container that is sterilized that the wine can ferment in. A bucket with a lid or a demijohn. As long as it is not full it can ferment quite happily.

1kg beetroot
1kg sugar
1tsp dried yeast
2 small lemon or limes

Method

Wash, peel and grate the beetroot.
Cook beetroot and when cool strain into your container
Dissolve yeast in half a cup of warm water wisth half a teaspoon of sugar.
Add the yeast mixture to the cooled beetroot juice along with the juice of the lemons/limes
Store in a cool dark place for 5 days....open and stir well.
Leave for another 5 days then you can strain and bottle it.

Enjoy xxx

Frugal France v Frugal England...an ongoing blog

Is it easier to be frugal in France than in England? Now that's an interesting question that's going to take some thinking about. Watch this space.

I think first point goes to France in that you can buy a property with substantial land for half the price to something similar on the UK. For example recently sold in Normandy was an immaculate 3 bed barn conversion , with a one bed gite and five acres of land for 240,000 euros. If you are selling up in the UK for more it gives you a good bank of savings to call on in a rainy day.
I quote Normandy as the weather is very similar to the UK. Other areas...Pays de la Loire, Charente and the Limousin are only slightly more expensive but if you only want a small property with land you are looking in the region of 130,000 euros. The most expensive areas are when you hit the Med ....that's because tourists are attracted to the weather so there are a lot more holiday properties. It's difficult to find a village propery with substantial land...usually to get one at the right price you are looking at major renovations...which whatever figure you think you will do it at needs to be tripled!


Second point has to go ..in terms of  the weather...well I am not sure. Here in the South you have hot dry summers....great if you are on holiday but when you have land to look after and general work to do it makes life very tiring. It means early morning starts or late evenings to be able to work comfortably.
In the summer in France you will pay extra in electricity if you have air conditioning ( a must if you want to sleep) also ..unless you have a well on your land...you use a lot more water for the garden.
Winters whilst not freezing are still cold enough to need heating. We spent our first winter with only wood burning stoves.....not advisable in a big old house. With a smaller property that lets in a lot of light you can take advantage of the lovely winter sun. I think the biggest difference when living in the south of France is that it is mostly dry and bright instead of damp, foggy, dull and wet days.
So I think it still works out more economial to live in the S of France...all our utility bills work out less than what we paid in the UK

Third point......council taxes. As with the Uk ..if you live in sought after places then you will find that the taxes (here they are the Fonciere tax..which the owner of the propeerty pays and the Habitue tax which the person living in the property pays) As an owner living in a propery you pay both taxws however if youa re renting you will pay only one. Both of our taxes together amount to half what we paid in the UK and this amount also includes the tv licence, which is automatically put on your taxes. Despite being in a small village we have our rubbish bins collected 3 times a week, We have 2 reycling points. We have a dechetterie...a tip...wheere all other rubbish can be taken. We can leave this outside our door on a Friday morning and they will take it away for you..same with garden rubbish. Bin bags are given out by the Mairie twice a year....5 rolls per household.....so no bin bags floating around in the streets. If you run out then it is your responsibilty to buy more!!

to be continued......

How have you saved money today?

I was brought up with the saying.."pennies make pounds" .......so I still try to save those pennies.
Today I wanted to buy a slimline notebook the same size as my diary. They cost 1 euro each.
An exercise book of the same paper was 35 cents. So......I bought the exercise book cut it in half lengthways. One book has a back the other I have stapled at the top to make a second book.2 books..2 euros minus the 35 c layout means today I have saved 1 euro 65........that's my coffee with the gang paid for at Kingston's in Lezignan  next week.

Preserving with salycilic acid?

As its that time of year when we are trying to preserve all our produce from the garden..the question always arises as to the best methods.
We have no problem with freezer space but when it comes to preserving tomato sauces for pasta and soups I would much prefer to have them in bottles ready to use.
Our 84 yr old french neighbour swears by using 1 g of salicylic acid in powder form to 1 litre of liquid. I am a bit unsure ..reports seem to suggest it can be dubious...however our neighbour has used this method all her life as did her mother...she is very fit and healthy.....so I am going to give it a try.
Using jars with the sealable lids,  I will work on the principle that if they have popped there will be a problem and if not.......well it should be ok. What do you think?

Update....I bottled several jars of leek and potato soup. We have now had the first one

1  It tasted good

2 It looked good

3 As yet we have had no after effects.

However..as I am not keen on the use of any products like this I am still going to save for a pressure canner. In the long run it will be a good investment and I will feel safer and happier

Bon Appetite!!!

Just a general update as to what we are managing to grow this year.Not having a garden of our own we rent  an old vineyard with two other couples...one French, one German It's now known as the international garden.

 We acquired this last year, fenced it in to protect against the wild boar and bought a pump to bring water up from the well. So began the first experience in growing in the sandy soil with the hot windy weather. Not quite what we were used to after rainy North of England.Last year we discovered the moles who dislodged all the plants, the voles who ate all the bottoms of the carrots and the ants carried off all the slug pellets. The crops were just ok but this year we were better prepared.

Had a great crop of rasps, strawbs, rhubarb, potatoes, red and yellow toms...big and small ones, peppers, kohl rabi,lettuce and celery.
The cucumbers and gherkins were a disaster.
Awaiting the sweet potatoes,carrots and melons

The continued heat is taking its toll on the produce in the garden. We have lifted all the potatoes as they are starting to sprout. Spent the afternoon sorting the good ones and putting them into cold storage and tomorrow will involve cooking the rest to freeze.
Thanks to Dee and Andy for the loan of an extra freezer  or we would have been eating a lot of potatoes.

There are many different ways to live frugally BUT..."Any fool can rough it"...as we were often told by a good friend.

We take great pleasure in saving on the essentials in order to pay for the luxuries. We try to do this by foraging, growing as much as our food as we can, making things  and living cost effectively.

We took early retirement and bought a house in a small vineyard village in the South of France with the intention of living a simple healthy lifestyle.

Follow us in our planning and organisation of our french lifestyle....