The Cottage Smallholder


stumbling self sufficiency in a small space


How to pluck and draw game: a partridge or pheasant.

Posted in Basics, Pheasant and Game | 80 comments

How to pluck and draw game: a partridge or pheasant.

Game is a treat. We don’t shoot and I don’t know many people who do. Hero of the kitchen garden, John Coe, is a beater during the winter months and sometimes brings us a brace of pheasant. His presents are always hung and dressed, ready for the pot. Occasionally we’re given a brace of pheasant or partridge, complete with feathers Until today, I have hung, skinned and drawn them, and then cooked them slowly, enclosed in a casserole. Now I know how to pluck a bird. By keeping the skin our repertoire of recipes has increased...

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Design and print your own labels for jam and jelly

Posted in Basics, Chutney and Pickles | 56 comments

Design and print your own labels for jam and jelly

I’ve wanted to print our own jar labels for ages. Ever since I saw a cupboard full of beautifully labelled preserves in a client’s house. It’s the old problem of finding the time to buy, design and print the labels. A month or so ago I whizzed down to Newmarket to buy some labels for our chutney. I’ve been buying them from one of those shops that sells absolutely everything and consequently good fun to visit. They run out of these labels pretty fast so I was delighted when I spotted them on a rack. But I was horrified...

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