The first wintery weekend of November and we have finished planting bulbs for spring. Hurrah for Mr Scamp! Every year I buy enough bulbs from him to fill four big pots. I am more than happy for him to make the selection. He knows I like single daffodils and not so high that they might topple in the wind. This year he supplied, Big Mo, Accent, Merlin and Intrigue. Previous years’ bulbs are planted in the grass outside the back gate where they flourish. We pass them on the way to the allotment but can also see them from the house.

Another job that was started was cutting down and weeding the asparagus bed before adding manure and sand. Lots of wood strawberries had invaded. Luckily they are easy to pull out but some of the buttercups needed to be lifted with a fork to be sure of getting rid of the entire root. A few stinging nettles were also dug out and carried by their yellow roots to the bonfire.

Time for comfort food! We had our first pheasant of the season, in a casserole with home grown leeks (Musselburgh), carrots and onions. A good picking of chard too. Then we had Queen of Puddings. I have become a regular shopper at Lidl’s on Friday evening. The shop in Bath is in the listed former Hermann Miller factory. Their big white loaves are a bargain and make perfect breadcrumbs.

For the base:

300ml full fat milk:
150g white bread crumbs
35g butter
25g caster sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 eggs yolks, separated
2 tbsp apricot or raspberry jam

For the meringue:
2 egg whites
60g caster sugar

Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and add the milk, heated to almost boiling. Add the lemon rind, butter and sugar and leave for half an hour or more for the bread to swell. Add the beaten egg yolks and pour into a buttered pie dish. Bake at 170°C for about 45 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and spread over the jam.

Whisk the egg whites until very stiff and fold in most of the sugar. Pile onto the pudding and dredge with the remaining sugar. Return the dish to the oven and cook for r10 or so minutes or until the meringue is lightly coloured and crisp.

Serve warm.