The Sun has Got His Hat On, Hip, Hip, Hip Hurray!

Today, and for the last few days, have been absolutely glorious here in South Wales.

 And, I hear that even across the border in England, it has been jolly fine there too...

 

In celebration I would like to play you a song, and thanks to some help from Elaine and Charles I have managed-for the first time to add a video clip to a post-thank you both!
This is the absolutely, spiffing  Cafe Society-just turn the volume up a notch or two to truly appreciate it...

Out in the garden, I have been planting seeds-oh so many seeds, and have been weeding and sorting and tidying out all the flower beds from the Winter...but occasionally there is that little beauty of a flower to keep you going...

 

Back inside for supper. This evening was a simple green salad from the garden, just a few spring greens, chard, chives, dandelions and primroses served with my freshly home baked walnut loaf and topped, rather generously I have to admit, in homemade Hummus.

Now I’m not going to insult everybody by posting a recipe for the usual Hummus as I’m sure you all know this by heart and use your own version anyway...

Just to say this particular version of mine uses black garlic if you happen to come across it... 

Black Garlic And Lemon Hummus.

 

I do so enjoy Hummus when it is generously slathered on some bread. For me it is that combination of that sublime creamy texture and the heady smell and taste of tahini, chickpeas and garlic. However, it can be that very smell of garlic which to others can then verge on the offensive and anti social. 

Instead of ordinary garlic, I used a whole head of black garlic. Black garlic is fermented and has a milder, sweet and tangy garlic taste and supposedly none of the powerful after effects from eating ordinary garlic...and it is said by some to taste like balsamic vinegar which will always get my vote! On a health front it is said to have more antioxidants and doesn’t send your friends away!

 

Ingredients

2 x 400g can of chickpeas

4 TBSP of tahini

1 lemon-zest and juice

1 head of black garlic-peeled and chopped

A generous handful of pine nuts-lightly dry roasted

A little British Extra Virgin Rapeseed oil 

Method

It is ridiculously easy to prepare...

Simply place all the ingredients except the pine nuts and rapeseed oil into a blender and gently pulse depending on how rough or smooth you like your hummus. I drain the chickpeas but retain the water and add that back in to get the desired consistency.

Scoop out into a bowl and top with the lightly browned pine nuts and drizzle with the rapeseed oil. 

Then simply generously slather on top of a slice of your favourite bread. Sink your teeth in to this scrumptious goodness and enjoy...

 

Let the sunny days continue...

Now all together now,

The sun has got his hat on...

Hip, hip, hip hurray,

The sun has got his hat on,

And is coming out to play...

A Chilly Golden Day Featuring Shy Hellebores and a Hungry Honey Bee Together With A Lovely Sunset And A Chilly Golden Dessert For Supper...

Today was supposed to be sunny and warm-well up to 11C they said...

Well it was sunny-in parts but for the majority of the day, there was a very brisk, cool breeze and a fair amount of cloud. Excellent for drying out the washing-and so good it is to be able to use the outside washing line again for the first time this year, but chilly to be out gardening for too long...

The day started out quite well with clear blue skies though there had been a hard early morning crispy frost which should have given me due warning of what was to come for the day...

Intrepid poster that I am, and mindful of any readers that may come by, I ventured out into the garden with my camera with not a bite of breakfast that had yet passed my lips...

The Red Currents are slowly unfurling in the sunlight...

 

The shy Hellebores are looking truly lovely despite hiding their beautiful flower cups downwards so only the worms can truly appreciate their beauty...

 

I then noticed a lone honey bee going about from flower to flower...however taking a photo proved just a little difficult...

Gradually I managed to predict where it might go...

Just going in to the flower on the right...

 

Then this...

 

And this...

 And finally this one...

After that, the bee was obviously heavily laden in nectar and wobbled off over the wall, flying almost drunkenly back down into the wood below...

Watching of such industry and toil reminded me it was time to be back inside for a rest and a welcoming mug of coffee and a change of clothes!

You will be pleased to know I did venture out later and sowed some seeds and did a spot more gardening-more about that in future posts....

And finally there was supper and to finish with, may I present the finale of the day- dessert!

Fresh succulent pineapple, toasted with crunchy Palm sugar and generous lashings of warm and bubbling Jamaican Rum,

 

And topped with Stem Ginger Ice-cream...

 

A lovely golden dessert to enjoy with a golden sunset...sleep tight everybody...