Horticultural Show

Now EJ...what a nice display. I really like to see this sort of thing. I was especially proud of you for winning so many prizes. "Well done" doesn't seem to cover it properly. Your achievement at that show was superlative. Your daughter did great too. I really hope that the gardening thing stays with her. Did your children do any miniature presentations this year?

I almost forgot to mention the fudge. How'd your fudge do?

I thought that your runners looked very decent. A pretty good group of toms as well, from what I could see.
The spuds were also looking good. What kind were they?
I liked your courgette. I am not sure what kind that one is, but personally I lile that shape best. I grow some climbing courgettes and they have that shape, although their colour is a bite darker than yours.
There was an excellent grouping of apples and carrots. Very nice indeed.

In terms of judging, how were the entries judged--in relation to each other or were each individual's entry judged on it's own merit and not in competition with other entrants? I'm not sure that I am being clear about this question.

Anyway...it was such a pleasure to see your accomplishments at the show.

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html

Thanks Eric.

Sjoerd, the runner beans have to be as flat as possible. As soon as the bean inside is obvious you start to loose points, so fortunately, because of the wet but mild weather, the beans have grown long and slender without the sun maturing them to soon. The judges snap the beans in the middle, usually one or 2 just to check freshness.

Biita, they aren't cookies, they are eccles cakes. A cake made with a round of flaky pastry, then in the middle you add a spoon of currants, mixed spices, a little brown sugar and a knob of butter which has all been combined together first, then you draw the edges in to make a parcel. You then flatten it and make 3 slashes across the pastry, brush with milk, sprinkle with lots of caster sugar, and bake for about 15 minutes in a moderate oven. Mine were the darkest and the thinnest, which I thought might be a looser, but the lady judge said the fruity filling was by far the tastiest, if only they weren't so thin! It was the first time I had made them and I wasn't sure how flat they were supposed to be....I will know next time and plan to make a christmas spice batch instead of mince pies this Christmas time.

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