Fermenting things

I do love a good ferment.

However, sometimes a good bacteria goes bad and you end up with a smelly mess.  And sometimes things that ferment get forgotten about and die of neglect.

This would be a case of the latter. And if you think this attempt at home made vinegar looks bad you should smell it.  On the upside I think I've invented penicillin - so really I deserve another Nobel Prize (yeah, got the first for irritability and general foul temperedness - but I don't like to boast about it).

Luckily I can start again. I have a couple more vinegar mothers that I can add to red wine and try to turn it into vinegar.

For anyone remotely interested you do this:  Place vinegar mother in a container with 1.5litres: 50%wine 50%water. Taste after 4/6 weeks. Double quantities. Cover container with muslin as it needs oxygen.

Aside from this I have remaking my unset plum jelly.  Has now set beautifully...

But of course it didn't all go according to plan. And no, I did not catch an artery with the cheese slicer, I cracked a jar when I was pouring boiling jelly into it. Spectacular yes?  Why does it always happen when the jar is full?

Then, in a moment of complete BHG-ness (BHG=Better Homes and Gardens) I took to covering cereal boxes with pretty paper. I have no idea why. None.  The house is a tip and the dirty washing pile smells unspeakable. We've eaten nothing but baked beans for days. So what do I do to rectify the situation? Well, results below. Quite pleased actually.

Should've got that Nobel Prize they give out for domestic goddess-ness.

:)