Skinflint Sunday: It’s stone fruit time!

This may sound odd coming from a woman who has an orchard in her front yard, but I’m not a person who is naturally drawn to fruit. Sure, if someone cuts it up and arranges it in a bowl or on a plate I’ll eat and enjoy it, but given the choice between fruit and veggies, I’ll go for the veggies every time.

But there’s something about stone fruit, isn’t there? Especially when you eat it stewed, mixed through your morning porridge. Delightful way to start the day.

I discovered this breakfast soon after I moved to The Best House in Melbourne. Porridge made with just water (no milk) and some stewed fruit mixed through it. At first, I added sugar to the fruit, like Mum used to do when I was a kid, but soon I found that I really enjoy the tart tanginess of just the fruit. It’s a dance of joy for my tastebuds.

This year for the first time, instead of going to Aldi and buying a bag of plums/apricots/apples at a time, I’ve decided to be more efficient. I googled “fruiterers near me” because my suburb doesn’t have one, went on a little drive and came home with a box of plums. Ten kilos, reduced from $3.99/kg to $3.50/kilo, because I bought the whole box.

The photo shows the plums that were left after my first batch of chopping and cooking in my two large saucepans. Last summer I went to K-Mart and bought heaps of icecube trays to use for days like this. I stopped cooking for the day when the trays were all filled.

This morning I popped all of the frozen plum cubes into large plastic bags and continued with cooking the rest of the plums. The box is now in the recycling bin and the icecubes are full again, with a saucepan’s full still waiting to be ice-cubed tomorrow. I estimate I’ll get 3 months’ worth of breakfasts from this box of plums.

On Tuesday I’ll go back to get a box of apricots, then later I’ll get a box of apples to stew with my rhubarb, which is currently growing so enthusiastically that it’s threatening to take over the backyard.

By the end of next week, my breakfasts for 2022 will be covered.

I want to get the cooking of the fruit finished early, before the produce from the backyard starts needing to be processed. The beans are already off to a good start. This is a pile of Lazy Housewife beans that were starting to get too big. I didn’t want the bean plants to think that they’ve done their job for the year – they need to keep producing! So these beans needed to be picked.

I cut these beans very small and froze them. These are fantastic to have on hand to use in soups and casseroles in winter. It adds colour, fibre and nourishment for free.

I’m always really keen not to waste any food we grow, but this year with the Adblue diesel shortages coupled with covid supply chain problems, I’m making doubly sure we make the most of what we have. I’m also thinking ahead, such as with the stewed fruit, and quietly getting organised.

Covid is going nuts in Victoria now, so I’m glad I had my booster last week. The next few weeks I’ll be spending very close to home. I’m not saying I won’t get it, but I’m certainly not going to be running towards covid with my arms outstretched either! Yesterday I found out that 3 people I know personally have it. This is the first time since the pandemic began that I’ve known someone personally who has had it.

I’ve heard from a few sources that this wave will take 6 – 8 weeks to subside. I don’t know if that’s true, but thanks to being able to retire early, I’m in a position to hunker down. If I get it, I get it. I’m triple vaxxed, I’m doing all the right things to protect myself, so the only way to be is philosophical about it.

Our massive lockdowns gave us time to take advantage of the vaccines being invented, and time for even our botched rollout to take effect. Now we’re on the covid carnival ride with everyone else.

Stay safe, everyone!

Dad joke of the day:

My Girlfriend Just Broke Up With Me For Talking Too Much About Video Games.

What a stupid thing to Fallout 4.