A quiet Sunday?

I had a quiet saturday, after driving home from work, by the way the ship fitted in the lock without touching the sides (the captain said I was an artist!)

Glad to see the back of it!

and hoped that sunday would be the same. Fat chance of that, I have Sally's bread to start, including Spelt Ciabatta, which involves sourdough starters, natural yogurt and pre-ferments. Also I wanted to start Elderflower wine and Vinegar, and cook a ham hock in marmalade for lunch.

So I walked the dogs early, and started at 7am with the Spelt pre-ferment for the Ciabatta.

 I had already fed the sourdoughs, ready to make dough after lunch.

I was in the garden, picking elderflower, when I had a look at the fruit trees/bushes and the roses. All of them are showing promise,

Blackcurrant

Peach

Cherries

Whitecurrants

Strawberries

Apple

Rose

Rose

 

And finally, the Elderflower.

 

I managed to pick enough for wine, and some vinegar.

So while the water was boiling for the wine, I infused the elderflower with white wine vinegar, it will take a couple of weeks, and will need stiring every day. I can then bottle it for salad dressings.

 

When the water had boiled, I added the flowers and will leave it for a couple of days before adding sugar and yeast.

About a year ago, I started saving the dregs of home made wine in a container, intending to let it feremnt into vinegar.
I aquired a mother, threw it all together and forget all about it, until today, when I was looking for some oil, it had developed nicely, and I decanted a bottle, it tastes good, and will liven up salads.

Now the Ham hock,

 

In the oven for 30 minutes at 220, to start it off, then at 160 degrees for about 90 minutes,after an hour add the potatoes and veg, at the same time paint a coat of marmalade on the meat.

 

After the hour, cut the meat off the bone and return it to the pot, coating with the juices, and return it to the oven.

 

Until it looks like this, Yum.