When you see the valiant sweet peas still looking bright and smelling wonderful, as the days shorten, makes all that earlier sowing and thinning out and watering more than worth it

Yes, the week we've all been waiting for...this is officially Chocolate Week...as if we needed an excuse!

I made profiteroles at the weekend when some friends came round, but basically we ate them all before I could photograph them, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I did enjoy making the choux pastry though, so I'm planning some chocolate eclairs as my little contribution to such an important few days.

Filling:
3 bramley apples
1 cox apple
half teaspoon ground cinnamon
some unrefined golden sugar

Pastry
7oz, 200g plain flour
a little lemon juice (optional)
1oz, 25g icing sugar
4oz, 110g butter
a little water

Rub the butter into the flour. Add the icing sugar. Add the lemon juice and enough cold water to make a soft dough. You could rest the pastry for a while in the fridge, if you have time.

Roll out on a floured surface. Line an 8" round tin, of about an inch depth with the pastry. Cut and slice the apples and put in tin. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top of the apple. Roll out remaining pastry and cover. Press round edges with a fork. Bake at about Gas Mark 6/400/200 for about 30 minutes.

Some red hot chillis are ready...the variety is Apache...must ask Noreen for some good recipes. Bet Brian would like some of these.

I told you that next door's apple tree was having an excellent year. These are best for eating or storing, but you can cook successfully using a mixture of Bramley apples and eating apples.

Today is St. Denis's Day..."A fine St Denis's Day means a hard winter!"

Despite being well and truly autumn now there's still plenty in flower. I really like Michaelmas daisies...there's something special about the way they come into bloom just when I'm thinking it's all over. But there are others as well...dahlias and sedums to name just two...all gloriously fiery.

We helped a friend celebrate her ordination the other night. How is it even when you have eaten loads (and we had) the sight of the cheeseboard at the end of the night is always good!

A loud rumbling sound and the hiss of steam has announced the passage of numerous traction engines through the village these last two weekends. They're a wonderful sight as they trundle along in a swirl of smoke and steam, some pulling trailers or caravans...all appear gleaming in traditional greens and reds...all beautifully preserved.

4oz, 110g butter
3oz, 75g fine porridge oats(Iused ready brek!)
1 beaten egg
4oz, 110g, plain flour
half-teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
4oz, 110 demerera sugar
1 tablespoon honey

Cream butter & sugar. Gradually beat in egg. Fold in flour & bicarb & porridge oats. Mix in honey. Mix well. Fork pieces onto a prepared baking tin & bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire tray.

I've spent a bit of time this week enjoying one of my favourite pursuits...searching out pretty fabrics. Once inside Abakhan Fabrics, an hour (or two) just disappears. I don't know if you've been to these shops - there's one in Hanley that we use all the time, and also in Manchester and Mostyn, North Wales...there may well be others. They are brill places for all sorts of material, knitting, sewing and craft supplies.

It goes without saying, that any fabric has to be a bargain price - so I was delighted to find a couple of metres of this beautiful Colefax and Fowler 'briar rose'. It's proved just right for a flowery bag...with some stripey cotton for the lining, and the biggest button I could find.