Get ready to crumble!

That singular time of the year, when the first cold wind of Autumn blows across your t-shirted arms, means two things: the fusty jumpers need to be taken from the the cupboard and the oven readied for casserole.

And this year, of course, I was able to use my homegrown produce to fill the pot. Unfortunately, I don't have my own herd of cows to supply the beef, but there was definitely a courgette in there, and even a chilli to add a little warmth.

Casseroles are a family tradition, and nothing betters Gran's version, made with shin of beef and kidney, and cooked in the slow cooker for an eternity. If only I had a decent butcher nearby I'd have used shin as well (apparently it loves being cooked to death), but instead I had to make do with some organic diced beef from the supermarket.

But there was no denying it was delicious. And with a pear and rhubarb crumble for desert (provided by my expert crumble-maker girlfriend), I was in heaven.

Milway the Lumberjack

Milway the Lumberjack
Originally uploaded by Al Milway.

My tomatoes have come down with a sort of blight. AlI 6 plants have succumbed, which is possibly something to do with them all being in such close proximity of each other (saw something on River Cottage about that sort of thing I think!).

But even so, I don't mind that much as it gave me the chance to don my lumberjack suit and fell all the tomato trees. In the process I removed all the fruit of course, and now pounds of yellow Golden Queen toms areripening on window sills and tables, here there and everywhere.

I am planning to make a chutney, but I want to just enjoy having armfuls, if not bucketloads, of veg for a while.

Joke veg

Joke veg
Originally uploaded by Al Milway.

I never knew tomatoes with diseases could be so much fun.

Carrots are go!

Carrots are go!
Originally uploaded by Al Milway.

It's been a while since I posted once again, mainly because of a holiday and too much time spent writing about pirates, but here I am. And now I'm loaded with pictures. The most exciting of which is of my Nantes carrots, freshly picked and modelled by the indespensible John. I couldn't believe it when I dug one up to find that it really had grown and wasn't just an optical illusion. I couldn't believe it so much that I had to dig up another two just to be sure.

Ha! Carrot Fly. You may have seen off my parsley, but the carrots have farted in your general direction!