M. Senouci..

sesame thins

(compotier available here)

Siobhan made these when I was in Ireland recently and they are delicious and very quick to make.

Sesame Thins

4 oz (100g) wholemeal flour

4 oz (100g)  butter

2 oz (50g) sesame seeds

2 oz (50g) sugar

Rub the butter into the flour, add the sesame seeds and sugar and work the mixture together.

Press into a 23 x 23 cm tin (no need to line) and bake at 180º until pale golden brown - about 20 minutes. Score while still warm but leave to cool completely in the tin. They keep well in an airtight tin or kilner jar.

(recipe from the Cranks recipe book)

walnuts

The first walnuts are starting to fall.  They are very bitter until they've had a chance to dry out a little but if you have time on your hands you can peel away the papery skin and then the fresh nuts have a delicious milky flavour.  A friend remembers her father burying fresh walnuts in a sack in order to have them at Christmas.

We had such a good harvest last year that we haven't quite run out yet - an excellent state of affairs!

door

One of the best things about France is the old doors! (and sunshine and cheese and markets and architecture and brocantes and wine).

peaches

The storm the other night brought down all our neighbour's peaches so he brought me two big buckets full.  I've made two large batches of bottled peaches - no sugar - delicious just as they are. I know I've mentioned it before but I just can't understand why British preserving books make no reference to this healthy, easy way of preserving fruit, everyone here cans and makes compote. In fact many French houses have either a second kitchen or a cooker and a sink in the cellar or a shed specifically for making preserves of one sort or another.  I went to a vide maison today and the house had a little lean-to at the back just for that purpose.