Brrrr
As is typical in Bulgaria, the change in
seasons has been marked with a huge temperature swing. After months of a pretty
constant 25–30°C here in the mountains, we’ve dropped to 15°C in the blink of
an eye. I realise that’s hardly arctic, and in deepest winter I’ll hanker after
anything above zero, let alone double figures, but it’s the sudden change that always
gets me. I’m wearing my biggest cardigan and muttering ‘Winter is coming’ 10
times a day. I’ve packed my flip flops away and shaken the dead spiders out of
my slippers. Even Rob has succumbed to long trousers after days of toughing it
out in shorts (while being laughed at by the neighbour).
The good news is, the temperature will probably
stay pretty constant now until December. But, much as I love autumn, until I
adjust, I’ll mainly be wallowing in cardigans and carbs.
We made some roasted peppers in oil for the winter but I want to eat them now. It's practically winter, right? |
Booze
Cider production is well and truly underway. Instead
of strimming apples, like we did last year, Rob fashioned some sort of
medieval weapon to turn our apples into pulp. Then the pulp was pressed to extract
the juice, and ‘some sugar’ (his detailed description, not mine) was added to
the juice. Now, we wait…
Apple torture device. |
Apple chamber of horrors in action. (Complete with totally-sanitary-I'm-sure bin bag liner to capture the apple spray. Like I said: sanitary.) |
(Failed)
booze
In his usual precise manner, Rob says our
first small batch of cider, made in August from some early apples, ‘doesn’t
look right’. But, ever the optimist, he’s hoping to turn it into cider vinegar.
(It’s an ancient hipster saying, I believe, ‘When life gives you bad cider,
strap on the beard hair net and make cider vinegar.’*)
We did something similar with a failed batch
of red wine a few years ago, back in our early winemaking days, and we ended up
with several litres of amazing red wine vinegar that’s saved us a small fortune
in the years since. In fact, we’ve only just finished up the last of that
vinegar, so a few (dozen) bottles of cider vinegar will do nicely.
(Limited
quantities of) booze
Speaking of failed booze, our white grapes on
the front of the house have some sort of fungal infection. Possibly inspired by
the thrush/yogurt combo (I really hope you’re eating your lunch while reading
this), Rob has been spraying the infected vines with milk. It seems to be
helping, even if it is making a holy mess of our kitchen windows. Anyway, it looks
like we’ll be making red wine only this year.
*I actually Googled beard hair net to make
sure it’s a real thing. It is! It’s a real thing. Behold.
I really think it's pointless if you don't wear one on YOUR ACTUAL HAIR as well. No? |
Now, that's more like it. |
But this one gets extra points for its sexy fishnets vibe. |