Plum and apple

I’m all alone at the gardens today. Nix and Helen are away on holiday. Nik and Annamaria are on their way to Italy. Robbie is nowhere to be seen. I lunch on my own in the bothy.

Ivan is coming for dinner. I’ve just about finished rolling out the pastry when he arrives at 6. We chat while I prepare the veg, put the skin in the oven for crackling, season and seal the tenderloin, sliced apples and plums for the dessert tart.

We eat half an hour later than I had intended. Roast pork, crackling, potato and celeriac mash, carrots, beans, apple sauce. Apple and plum tart with cream. All grown here - and very seasonal.