Monday 20th September 2021Blog from the Edge, 12

Three Ps: Pondering, Potting and Produce

I made a batch of mango chutney this week for the first time ever, with fruit picked from my sister’s trees. We have now purchased two trees for ourselves and will get them in the ground this week.  It led me to thinking that this is something that I wouldn’t have contemplated doing in the UK - plus the fact that mango chutney is difficult to come by in our local supermarket here.

In fact, grocery shopping is totally different here in Madeira: if I see something that may come in useful, I grab it and stick it in the freezer or larder. For example, in the three months that we’ve been here, I’ve found sausages just twice!  Our diet is quite simple, as fresh food is what is available on the island - free range chickens and eggs, fish from the sea, potatoes and vegetables and fruit from the local farmers. I flavour them all with tons of garlic and fresh oregano!

Another example of making do with what’s available is that we’ve been trying to source an extra wide worktop for my sister’s laundry area. There are none in stock in the shops, it would take 2 months for one to arrive, so we are having to go down the custom-made route with the materials and labour that are available to us.

I’ve started potting some plants up for the house this week, but still need more 🤣. Our hibiscus pots are out in bloom - beautiful colours. It will be interesting to see how long they flower, alongside the geraniums and petunias. The rose bushes are a continual show of vivid red - with poinsettia bushes just behind them. 

Our guests have just arrived. The weather is not so hot at the moment, so it’s a good day to have a long walk around Tabua down to the sea front.