Welcom Spring Sunshine!

When I set out for the shops today I was wearing a light overcoat, but I soon took it off and put it in my shopping trolley, and still felt quite hot by the time |I got home. It was my first outing this year without an overcoat.

Strange Prices

Yesterday I wanted some single cream. I was surprised to find that 300 ml cost 75p, but 150ml cost 70p. Having reistered the anomaly and my surprise I can think of no furher comment.

Compensation for a Cold Spring

This year my daffodils have lasted for an unusually long time. Moderately mild weather brought them into flower in February, and a chilly March and early April preserved them. They are fading now, but they still provide some splashes of yellow to brighten the garden. Grape hyacinths and some other bulbs whose names I've forgotten, have also lasted well, though the crocusses and snowdrops are long gone.

Lime and Lemon Marmalade

A few weeks ago it occurred to me that although I've made marnalade with various citrus fruit, either alone or in combination, I'd never tried lime and lemon. So last week I tried it and was delighted with the result - quite sharp but also sweet and fruity. I think it may be my favourite marmalade.

Recommended quantities are limes 1, lemons 1, water 1, white sugar 3. Wash the fruit, halve each one and put in a saucepan with the cold water. Heat very gently - I use the lowest setting on my electric hob. Check from time to time. With about 1 kg of fruit and 500 ml of water it took about an hour to come to the boil. I let it simmer until the fruit was soft. Allow to cool. Remove the fruit from the liquid and remove pips. Strain the liquid to remove pips from that, and then put fruit and liquid together through a blender. Then heat with sugar in the usual way. It sets extremely easily. I think that limes must be very rich in pectin.