Things falling off trees

This blog is about things falling off trees … I was sitting here tucked up nice and cosy at my place with the cats at my feet, supposedly working, and I was admiring the trees outside the window. They’re ablaze with golden and russet leaves and I wasn’t thinking about much else as I enjoyed a cup of tea. Just nice and peaceful. Then an almighty gust of wind whipped up and ripped through the trees and a shower of leaves fell to the ground. It was really pretty. So I poured myself another cup of tea and kept watching. Now half the morning’s gone and I haven’t thought of much but flowers and trees, and tuis singing and cats snoring, and how I better go outside soon and pick up the lemons on the ground under the lemon tree before it rains again.

But I feel I can say with authority that at this time of year things do fall off trees … and hopefully, you’ll not be underneath one when things come down!

I should try and stay on topic and talk about nuts because May is when nuts are ready to be harvested, in this part of the world at any rate. We’ve been eating our way through huge bags of fresh walnuts and hazelnuts. Actually, I might adjust that sentence as it’s more accurate to say ILARIA has been eating her way through them (she gives me a few crumbs now and then!).

Whenever fresh walnuts come on sale I pounce on them and use them on lots of things, scattering them over salads, toasting them and using them as a topping on creamy parsnip puree (simply scrumptious with roast beef), and I add them to my breakfast muesli. Then I’ve got them to make my favourite quick autumn pasta dish …   Rag Noodles with Fresh Walnuts

Recipes using nuts

Fig & Radicchio Salad with Goat’s Cheese & Hazelnuts   Roast Fillet of Beef Stuffed with Mortadella & Pistachio Nuts   Feijoa Cake with Almond Crumble Topping    Summer Zucchini Salad    Frangipane Pear Tartlets
Also check Nuts Things falling off trees