Clotted Cream Diaries

Last night we stood on Penryn quay to watch the fireworks marking the end of Falmouth Week. As the bangers lit up the sky I realised just how dark it was at 10pm. Gone are the summer barbecues when we're still eating at 10pm and everyone gasps when they realise how late it's got because it's light enough to be 7pm. Anyway here are some more shots of Falmouth Week....

But as sad as I feel about summer coming to an end I can't help but be excited because I love autumn. I love everything turning brown, the first day you see your breath in the air, the empty beaches, the amazing autumn light. I think this is the first year I have made chutney so early but arriving back from holidays to huge marrows and a tree full of apples I had to get on it....

Apple and Courgette Chutney......(Makes about 8 biggish jars)

1kg apples cored (but leave the peel on)

1 1/2 kg courgettes (or marrows) I used a mixture of yellow and green

600g onions

250g sultanas

100g dried apple slices

500g sugar

300ml cider vinegar

400ml white wine vinegar

1 mug water

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp all spice berries

2 sticks cinnamon

3 balls of stem ginger in syrup

2 tsp dried chilli

You'll need a really big heavy based pan for this. Chop the fruit and vegetables into rough chunks and pop in the pan. Add all the other ingredients.

Mix with your hands.

Pop on the heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and boil for about 2 hours or until a rich dark brown.

Leave the chutney to cool for around an hour and put in sterilised jam jars and top with a circle of greaseproof paper and a lid. I'll leave the chutney until Christmas before I eat it.