What a jam-packed two days!! I feel like I’ve barely had a moment to just sit down and do nothing – or write until now, that is!
On Friday, I got a hot pepper delivery to heat up my apple jelly recipes… rubs hands with glee… from my buddy David, owner of Verger des Dix-Terres, He’d asked me to make some chili-enhanced versions of my jelly and was more than happy to supply me with the heat (my son’s peppers are not doing so “hot”!)
I had washed, halved, and cooked the crabapples (could not believe I had 14 pounds in my bag!) and set them up to drip before David arrived so I got to show him the results so far… He was pretty impressed at the quantity of juice that had already dripped.
Had lunch, cleaned up the mess that was the kitchen and it was already time to shower and leave to meet a friend for dinner. What a nice time we had! We met at 5:00 pm and ended up chatting until 10:00 pm!! We hadn’t seen each other in about a year and had a lot of catching up to do. We parted ways, vowing to not let so much time go before seeing each other again.
Saturday morning, our alarm went off at 7:00 am and by 7:30 we were off on our bikes, hubby equipped with a backpack as I needed strawberries to make my 21-year old niece’s birthday cake. We did a good 30 km all, did a very mini grocery and were back home by 8:30.
Started on my strawberry swirl cheesecake right away. While it was cooking in it’s water bath, I decided to make one batch of crabapple chili jelly.
I used about 1/4 of a 7-pot (ridiculously hot pepper). I let it float around in the juice for about 5 minutes, removed it and tasted it… I thought it had a good zing. So I then had my “expert”: my hot pepper-loving son taste it and no, according to him, it was too wimpy. Hmph! Alrighty then! Threw the same piece back in just as the mixture began to boil and let it hang out for another 2 minutes, give or take. NOW, it passes muster! This pepper goes right for the back of the throat. But in a jelly, you start off with a sweet taste and then you feel a little “what is that?” and then zing! right to the throat’s g-spot!
Next up was to skim the shmeg off the top and pour into 2 jars. Problem is I didn’t get it all (the shmeg) and ended up mixing it in and then couldn’t get rid of it. Ugh. No worries, it was the trial run. Not the prettiest of jellies but will do!
By now the cheesecake should be ready and I can bake the marbled “will-be-longboard” cake that needs to be ready for Sunday morning. Nope, damn cheesecake is not ready so I give it almost an extra 1/2 hour, let it cool, pop it in the fridge and pray. Make the marble cake for tomorrow.
Mom and the Aunts finally arrive around 1:30 pm or so for lunch so I take a small break. Oh, and I get them to taste the jelly and they love it and want some! Woot! Hubby makes his wicked burgers and we kick them out at 3:00 (we are all expected at my sister’s for 4:00 pm so the timing’s great).
I figure I have time to prepare my icing for Sunday’s cake, take a shower and…yeah. No way in hell will we make it in time! Give Sis a call to warn her we’ll be late and then get to work. Neighbour happens to stop by with a couple of brewskies so we don’t want to be rude… I can be sociable whilst I work! Make my icing, tint it in the desired colours and off to take my shower!
We join the party and enjoy yummy souvlaki and corn on the cob and – cheesecake – that did not completely take in the middle at the bottom! Sonofa… Crap! Crap! Crap! I was not happy. And on top of that I didn’t even like the flavour all that much (and unfortunately, neither did the birthday girl). Everyone else said they enjoyed it but, for me, failure. Let’s just say that particular recipe will not be staying in my “keepers” file.
This morning, I woke up before my alarm. It wasn’t even 7:00 and it’s Sunday! Egad! Well, I’ve got work to do so let’s go. Get that coffee pot on, check my emails, see what’s happening of FB and before I get totally lost, log off and start work my longboard creation.
It was to be picked up around 11-ish so I had no time to waste. I knew I’d have to go shopping for something to use for the wheels and I had some kind of dipped cookie in mind but the grocery store had none that tickled my fancy. The did however have “rainbow rice crispies treats so they’d have to do! I like the effect it had…
So yes, I feel that NOW I can relax! But it’s time to make supper….
Have an excellent day/evening, dear readers!