Category: Food: Cooking and Enjoying

  • April Foraging Challenge

    Springtime is absolutely my favourite time of year for foraging so I set myself the mini-challenge of cooking with as many foraged foods as possible during April. The majority of items in this album were fresh, but as I preserve a great deal in the plentiful months I have used some stored foraged foods too. more »

  • In the Kitchen: Couve Romanesque

    This fabulously visually appealing veg is in the shops locally now, but we’re fortunate to have had our own from the garden. It’s the first time we’ve grown it, and we’ve found it easier than it’s cousin cauliflower. So how to use it? My favourite idea to date looks brilliant on the table. Remove the leaves more »

  • In the Kitchen: Cheese Pie

    It’s been a while since I’ve shared a recipe as there are so many sites out there dedicated to doing that better than I can. But occasionally there’s something I discover which pushes all the right buttons for me, and this is one of those ideas. ‘Cheese pie’ is a fabulous way to use up more »

  • Preserving an Abundant Harvest

    As summer draws to a close we’ve a huge abundance of foods coming out of the garden.  Nothing will be allowed to go to waste. As I look around me, these are just a handful of examples happening right now.  Whilst we use a wide range of techniques to preserve our bounty, we’re making the more »

  • In the Kitchen: Plantain & Kefir Bites

      No, I’m not talking about the plantain that looks like a sort of banana, but Plantago major, the ribbed leafed plant which people who don’t know better call a weed. We’ve loads of it growing at Casalinho and in this ‘hungry gap’ time of year when last year’s stored vegetables are running short and this more »

  • A Visitor’s Perspective: Sam’s Diary – A Bountiful Harvest

    This is part of a series of posts where we ask one of our volunteers or visitors to say a few words. This is Sam’s fourth contribution whilst he works with us as a volunteer. A Visitor’s Perspective: Sam’s Diary – A Bountiful Harvest November 14th,2014  /  Sam Wilder In the Game of Throne series a common more »

  • A Visitor’s Perspective: Sam’s Diary – A Foraged Salad

    This is part of a series of posts where we ask one of our volunteers or visitors to say a few words. Sam is beginning his third week here as a volunteer and has kindly allowed us to share his online thoughts. Here, Sam gets creative with the prettiest of salads. A Visitor’s Perspective: Sam’s Diary – A more »

  • Our Week in Pictures: 29th September 2014

    Another busy week! Making up for the rain of last week we’ve been cracking on with the first part of our grape harvest and wine making. Harvesting and produce preservation continues, with tomatoes and quinces still being top of my processing list. Volunteer Marjolein has been filming this week, which has given Jeroen a marvellous more »

  • Our Week in Pictures: 22nd September 2014

    We’ve had our first taste of autumn weather this week, somewhat early, with lots of rain and tremendous thunderstorms.  We can’t really complain though, look at these photos of Lisbon today. Wet soil easily compacts so we’ve not been doing a great deal in the veg garden as a result. A seemingly simple task of knocking more »

  • In the Kitchen: Elderberry & Pear Chutney

      With a proliferation of elderberries and plenty of windfall pears at the moment, this elderberry and pear chutney recipe has been a tasty way to ensure that none go to waste. As with most of my recipes, my quantities are vague and my ingredients interchangeable. Taste it when it’s boiled down and tweak the more »