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SilverCoast Holidays - Portugal |
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September 2011 |
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Week Thirty Five
The sun ran out midweek and we had drizzle and then rain until the weekend. This enabled us to catch up on a few DIY jobs.
Walnuts have began to fall, this is earlier than last year like other fruits figs, apples and pears etc, we are told its because the spring was good and early.
More cider making this week along with hot chilli salsa and fig and walnut jam.
Week Thirty Six
Back to hot, hot, hot again which is perfect for the guests staying on site, we always feel bad if the weather is not good for them, who wants to have rain when on holiday? May as well stay in the UK!!
We have got to the stage where we can not use our excess tomatoes anymore, we were very pleased when a friend came and took away a large bagful. Good news is not too many are getting wasted, Nik is making sure the guests get their fill too!
Cayenne chilli’s are fruiting in excess they must be happy, the other varieties are all looking strong too so we expect plenty of fruit again this year although late and not the full compliment.
Back in the kitchen we have been making quince & apple jelly which is a really nice product, sweet and fruity with a pinkie, orangey colour and tastes fantastic on toast or with cheese and crackers. Two new lines were made, tomato ketchup and prickly pear jam. The ketchup has turned out great with the spicy version in my view being better than the bloke who has 57 varieties!! Now the prickly pear harvest is a story in itself and we advise anyone who plans to have a go to proceed with caution. Nik did manage to produce a very interesting jam from this fruit which is very sweet with a melon like flavour but her hands and fingers have paid the price.
Week Thirty Seven
September is a great month in this area, the weather settles so we have long warm days of acceptable heat, mid 30’s, and the mayhem of the holiday makers in the area has disappeared allowing us all to enjoy what we have again.
Busy start to the week as we have our 1st anniversary of casa45 open day. We had lots of people and friends turn up which was fantastic although a little overwhelming at times for the two of us. The weather was perfect so the younger visitors were able to use the pool and the place buzzed. There was free food and drinks for all who came with apple dunking - cheers John - a walk around the plants, and the inevitable display of casa45 products for sale. A very big thank you to every one who came, if you didn’t make it, there will be another soon.
We continue to pick walnuts, last year they came down in a short time because of winds but this year they are earlier and it is calmer so will be falling at a steadier pace, good numbers being collected and they taste yum.
Cider production continues with the first batch now decanted into 5lt plastic bottles, looks about right in colour! More fallers being collected for the next brew.
The week ended with the grape harvest, 7.45 start it was almost still dark!! There were about 16 of us in total to pick our grapes and Antonio's. These days are great, earlyish start then a break at about 11.00 for bread, cold meats, tuna salads and no get together here is complete without vinho. Then complete the pick and head for the warehouse where the grapes have been sent for processing, there we found large round tubs full of grapes and juice that had been put through a machine that removes the stems. Lunch is called then the lot of us plus the family all sit on a long table in the garage and are fed with a pork type stew with gravy to die for, boiled potatoes, bread and salad, not exciting sounding I know but you should have tasted it! this was followed by fruit cocktail, Portuguese rice and coffee, I felt stuffed to the rafters as our host insisted we had more and more of the food. With a table of mostly local men who all knew each other there was lots of banter going on which was fuelled by plenty of vinho tinto and verde , I think I was being tested on a consumption level as my glass was never empty for the hours we were there but as a true Brit I held my own … this time!!! The remainder of the day was a write off as you would expect and I look forward to the next pick.
Week Thirty Eight
Warm weather continues this week, we continue to harvest and clear away things like the bean canes and dead plants.
Chillies are coming into their own now and we are getting some decent picks, if we do not use them we are drying them in the sun while it is still hot enough.
Week Thirty Nine
The end of season tidy up continues in the warm sun of this week too, we decided to rake up all the dying leaves of the walnut tree for the compost heap but also I believe there is a few nuts hiding in the under growth… there was a bucket full so well worth the effort, it will make it easier to collect the remainder of the nuts that still have to fall.
Made a third cider brew this week with help this time, got at least 40ltr of juice and will allow it to ferment with natural yeasts this time to compare it to the previous brews.
While waiting for the weather to cool so we can sow winter crops we have sown in seed beds onions, spinach and broccoli. It feels great to get my hands in the soil again.
With the chillies drying really well in the hot weather we have put some on ebay for sale, we can post fresh and dried chillies from Portugal at very reasonable postage rates.
September Sowings, Plantings and Harvesting. Sowings/Plantings - Onions, Spinach, Broccoli & Leeks.
Harvestings - Dwarf Beans, Tomatoes, Chives, Tarragon, Okra, Apples, Red & White Onions, Carrots, Peas, Nasturtium Seeds, Walnuts, Chillies & Peppers.
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