Red Currants and Wild Cherries

It's that time of the year again when the red currant bush fairly bursts with these red plump berries which are far too sour to eat off the bush, yet tantalize you with possibilities.

I've been experimenting with apricot, golden raisin and walnut bread, which was delicious, but I think needs more walnuts, and I'm still feeding my starter, but haven't dared to use it yet!

Anyway, we were viciously attacked by these fierce biting insects while picking the currants, and I got bitten twice before realizing I should have my wellies on instead of my flip-flops.

So now we're drying red currants in the oven at 140 F/60 C for 2-3 hours with the stems on and picked over.

I'm also sitting around with bunches of wild cherries. I made a French (clafoutis) dense moist cake with them last time, pits included (as traditionally is done), but it was a bit of an ordeal picking out every 10 pits in each bite.

Lastly, we made a batch of elderflower champagne and it looks like the yeast process is working because our plastic sterilized bottles feel taut because the natural CO2 is developing. We'll let it ferment for another week before we try a bottle (excitement).

We're leaving for the northern Sweden country house soon. Potato dumplings and wild blueberries, here we come!