Rose Petal Wine and Rain.

It’s another rainy day in Devon, it’s been like it all week, and the good weather that we had since March is quickly forgotten. Suddenly it feels like an imposition having to stay in, having to drink tea in the front room and not in the garden, not being able to potter outside etc. But and it’s a big one, not having to water every night to keep the veg and flowers growing, the rain is especially welcome as we are on a meter. The water butt is full, that will do for a few nights as well, and some of the more thirsty veg, such as potatoes have been harvested.


Enforced confinement to the house has meant a bit more cooking, I made the usual cheese rolls (See last post) and a Sandwich loaf from a Michel Roux Jr recipe with a bit of a tweak. Basically instead of Golden Syrup I used Honey, not really that radical and different I know, but I think the flavour is better. Anyhow his recipe is at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sandwich_bread_loaf_93879.

Next up some rose petal wine, this was one of Grandmother Winnie’s that I remembered from childhood but had no recipe, found it at
 http://www.wine-making-guides.com/rose_petal_wine.html.
The only thing I didn’t do was add yeast nutrient, and it seems to be fermenting nicely. It’s the one on the left, the other is Elderflower from the Garden, the second brew, which I’m trying to make dryer than the first lot, which stopped fermenting when it was still quite sweet.

I managed to get 150g of dried elderflower in stock as well, mainly from the dog walking expeditions, so that will keep me in cordial until next year. The next big wine effort will be pea/broad bean pod, they are nearly ripe so hopefully I’ll get enough pods from the garden.


Strawberries have been a disaster this year, I read all about the bumper crops and have to restrain an urge to get annoyed. When we moved in last year, we were too late to do anything to the plants but we had loads of berries. SO this year I weeded and trimmed, put straw and slug pellets, also netting and guess what. They all got grey mould and the slugs have still tucked in. So I’m buying the things and my Jam plan is on hold. At least I’ve got loads of Blackcurrants.


We have got wildlife: A couple of Slow Worms in the compost, so I expect we will have a family in September, it’s just a pity they’re not earning their keep and eating all the slugs around the strawberries.

I guess that’s what you get living in the country.