Topic: Heather

[Lona]

I recently visited this centre and was impressed with their customer services. If you have never tasted "Clootie Dumpling" then I suggest you visit this site. You can order online and I can recommend their products.

http://www.heathercentre.com/

[Clive]

I love heathers Lona.  We have quite a few in our garden and they seem to thrive.  The best part is that they flower for such a long period and I have some plants still in flower right now.  

Clootie Dumpling huh?  I've never tasted it.  How about sharing your recipe with us?  I'll make some (promise!)

[Lona]

I make a great dumpling, Clive but I personally don't care for the clootie version as it has a skin on it. I use a steaming bowl.  My recipe is called 6 cup dumpling.

1 cup of SF flour
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of mixed fruit
1 cup of bread crumbs
1 cup of suet
1 cup of milk

put all dry ingredients in bowl and mix. I only put half a cup of suet in as I don't like it too greasy.
add 1 teaspoon of mixed spice
add 1 teaspoon of cinnemon
add 1 teaspoon of ginger
add 1 tablespoon of treacle
add 1 tablespoon of sherry or more if desired
mix the whole lot up but do not beat. The mixture should not be too thick.
Pour into a bowl with loose fitting lid and simmer in boiling water for 5 hours.
Serve with custard or cream. Delicious.

[Clive]

That standard fuchsia I told you about in January is STILL flowering!  That must be a record as it should flower now until at least October or beyond.  We have had a lovely display of tulips this year too with lots of delicate pink ones and black too.  They seem to have flowered very early though as they have nearly all gone over.  The campanula are coming out now and that's incredibly early for them.  I think it will be time for bedding plants this weekend.

[Clive]

Thanks for the recipe!  I have all the ingredients too.  I stopped steaming puddings ages ago though as I find microwaving is much quicker and tastes just as good.  I'm not a fan of microwaving as a rule but steaming for 5 hours is a pain in the butt.  I WILL try it out, but not this weekend.

[Lona]

I wouldn't try microwaving a dumpling, Clive. It's not as good, I've tried it. Just put it on and forget about it until bed time and then remember to switch it off. Let me know how you get on.

I visited an alpine garden when I was up north and this lady grew all her own plants. I have never seen such a selection and I thought I knew a lot. I ended up buying 10 plants.  She had a lovely golden leaved campanula which I have never seen before. If you are ever thinking of going up north again let me know and I will tell you how to get there.  It's in the Cairngorms area.

[Clive]

I'll take your advice on steaming it then.  Christmas puds microwave though and the ingredients look fairly similar don't they?  Saying that, the last few years I've bought supermarket puddings and I've been pleased with them.  Shame they are incapable of making nice Christmas cakes isn't it?

I haven't heard of golden leaf campanulas either.  Mine are the ordinary ones but they are very strong growing.  Somehow, I find that plant roots that are given to you are far better than what you pay a lot of money for in garden centres.  They also seem to last forever.  Oh, I lost another potted fuchsia this winter.  I'm down to just two now - the standard and a normal one.

[Sandra]

Dumplings and pastry made with suet microwave very well usually I find.
I think that people overdo it in the microwave as they were used to the hours and hours of steaming before to get the same results,this can make it unappetising.
Forgive me Lona and Clive for trying to advise the elders of the forum   (a bit like teaching granny how to blow eggs   ) but dare I suggest that whichever of you makes a dumpling next that you split the mixture in half and steam half and microwave the other half but do it for only a few minutes at a time and leave it for 5 minutes before doing it for another minute then another minute etc until it is done.
That way you may find it is indeed as good as a traditionally steamed one  

[Simon]

Another brilliantly diverted thread - well done everyone!!  

[Lona]

:bald: Or I will throw a Haggis at you

[Simon]

Actually it was a compliment Lona.  

[Lona]

Oh, in that case I will send you some of my dumpling