That was the month that was October 2024
An uneventful month of taking things easier plus some seasonal recipes for you to try.
Hello friends
and welcome to my monthly look back behind the scenes of what’s been happening both on the blogs and in real life.
Well, October seems to have been over in a flash. An unusually mild autumn month, starting with some record temperatures of over 20deg in London and now with the with the end of British Summer Time and it is dark by 4.30pm, Winter beckons.
Life, in general, was a little slower this month. We all need times like this to recover and enjoy the slower pace, especially as the coming two months of the year will become pretty hectic.
Last weekend we tidy the gardens at our cottages in suffolk, ready for winter. The last of the Bamley apples were picked and cooked and what was hopefully the last cut of the grass till next spring.
I had the chance to meet up with a friend for lunch and also cooked my first “Sunday” Roast of the winter when my younger son and his fiancé turned up for dinner. It was a Friday, as despite it being a quiet month , we were all too busy to make it on a Sunday. A slight compromise to modern living but still, nothing beats enjoying a meal with family and friends.
There has been more DIY this month, as I redecorated my guest room. I am very pleased with the end result and impressed myself with my wallpaper hanging, which I did all on my own. While not perfect, luckily, the biggest mistake is hidden by the wardrobe. The room is rarely out of use, our next guest is my other son’s fiancée who is coming to live with us while they save towards their wedding.
Those of you who have been following RecipeCrumbs for a while may be wondering how the kitchen update was coming along. I started upgrading my old kitchen which was getting tatty around the edges in January, but the work came to a halt when a few unexpected big expenses came in and the last of the work which required new cupboard doors and new splash backs etc have been put on hold.
As a result I still have wall cupboards with no doors, and now I have got very used to having everything so easily visible and accessible, it will be a shock when doors finally appear. Meanwhile, I have been tackling the smaller, less expensive jobs that were needed around the house. With two weddings on the horizon, who knows how long before the kitchen will get finished.
What I’ve been watching:
Last month, I told you how much I had enjoyed Kaos on Netflix, so I was very disappointed to hear the planned 2nd series had been cancelled. This month I really enjoyed Ludwig on the BBC.
What I’ve been reading:
It's been a while since I have read a good book, but this month, I read The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop, which was set in the Cypriot town of Famagusta during the troubles in the 1970s. Easy to read and well written, it gives a fascinating insight into the split of Cyprus into two. I really enjoyed it and I'm now reading The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak, which covers the same time and place. I recommend both.
What I’ve been cooking:
When it comes to cookbooks, I'm a bit of a collector, with several hundred acquired over the years. I have a whole wall with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in my office, which is overflowing, so I really should cull them soon. But I still can't resist buying more. It’s a bit of an addiction, and it did not help when I received 50+ books to judge (as part of a team) for a prestigious cookbook award earlier this year.
Despite the many books I already have, this month I bought Tonight by Nagi Maehashi who writes the extremely successful Australian food blog Recipe Tin Eats and I have been happily trying out the recipes. Of course, I can't help but make changes as I go along, but so far, they are all very tasty and really are ideal for a quick family meal. Quite a few have Asian influences, which is my weakest area when it comes to cooking, so it was fun trying out something a bit different, too.
On the blogs:
I’ve been updating my older recipe posts, and now I’ve started working on Christmas recipes. I’m in the process of photographing some mini Christmas cake figures and testing mini Christmas cakes this week.
Meanwhile as our very mild autumn comes to an end I thought I share a few favourite seasonal recipes from the blogs to enjoy.
And that just about sums up my month. I hope you had a good one too
Until next week
PS The results from last week’s poll -What is your favourite way of serving a pie show that 75% like to serve it mash. I’m with you there when it comes to serving pie at home but a good steak pie with chips in the pub is always a delightful treat.
Sausages with easy homemade baked beans – Recipes Made Easy
This is the perfect bonfire night family dinner. In this recipe the little extra effort required to make this dish compared to opening a tin of even the best brand of baked beans is rewarded tenfold with the flavour.
Easy Chilli – Recipes Made Easy
Another great midweek meal for this time of year. I often batch bake this chilli and freeze some for later. Or you could try my Roast Vegetable Chilli
Pear and Mincemeat Tart – Only Crumbs Remain
If I was producing a signature Autumn Pie for Bake Off this would be it. Delicious pear and mincemeat filling with melt in the mouth hazelnut and orange flavoured pastry.
Ultimate Sticky Toffee Puddings – Only Crumbs Remain
The ultimate autumnal dessert
