Oh look, green hands

I’ve done something I’ve been planning for years.  Walnut liqueur.

I seem to be happy downing endless little aperatif hour glasses (small) of Martini Rosso. And now I get to make the thing myself. From scratch.

It has been a boozy day.  I started out with making a poor man’s version of cassis liqueur: black currant and brandy. Sugar and shake.

I have two large Le Parfait jars on the kitchen counter and have to shake them every day.

And then I get to put them away until October when I strain, decant and seal again.

It’s certainly fun to make use of the green walnuts. I tend to just leave them on the trees, and then when they drop late autumn the doormice beat me to the crop.  So that’s a small amount of revenge on the mountain wildlife.

But my hands are green from chopping the green nuts. Hope it fades.

Oh, and I’ve checked my notes: apparently the walnut liqueur is going to turn an extra terrestrial green for a few days before it turns Martini rosso brown. Bring it on.

The black currant jar is already the right colour.

I’ve also picked two kilos of jostaberries (jam tomorrow) and made my first of the season Jostaberry Tart. That was fun. Unless you factor in the annoying business of using a hot oven on a hot day.

Actually my whole day was out of synch as I went t the market first thing rather than mowing or strimming in the cool of the morning. 

But my flowers all round (six pots) for my stall holder friends was a triumph. We had an outside cafe table, and couldn’t see for the foliage.  Lots of strange flowers this time round: parsnips in flower, coriander in flower, yellow and white achillea, red monarda, and the first zinnia and dahlias. Fun and games.