Life on Lottie

ABOUT ME

Hi I’m Paul.

I’m a dedicated No Dig Method allotment owner, passionate about vegetable and fruit growing, nature lover committed to a sustainable lifestyle.

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LATEST STORIES

• 
  🍏 Apple Muffins – Straight from the PlotNovember 5, 2025

  There’s something properly comforting about baking with apples from your own trees. After a morning on Lottie, with the last of the autumn wind tugging at your jumper, there’s no better smell than cinnamon, apple, and warm muffin dough drifting from the kitchen. These are the kind of muffins that make you stop what you’re doing, stick the kettle on, and just breathe in the season.

  They’re simple, wholesome, and a great way to use up those apples that are a bit too wonky for the fruit bowl. I’ve kept the recipe stripped back — no seeds, no fuss, just that proper soft crumb and a juicy apple bite in every mouthful.

  If you fancy a little twist, you could finish them with a whisper of your mint salt over the top (trust me, it sounds mad but works). Or swap in a few chopped walnuts for a crunch if you’ve got some lying about.

  🍏 Apple Muffins

  Makes: 12 large muffins

  Prep time: 15 minutes

  Bake time: 20–25 minutes

  Ingredients

  2 medium apples (peeled, cored and finely diced) 150g plain flour 100g rolled oats 100g soft brown sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp mixed spice (optional) Pinch of salt (or a hint of your mint or basil salt for fun) 2 large eggs 100ml rapeseed oil 100ml milk (or live yoghurt for a gut-friendly version) 1 tsp vanilla extract

  Method

  Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with large muffin cases. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt. In a jug, whisk the eggs, oil, milk (or yoghurt) and vanilla until smooth. Combine the wet and dry mixes gently, just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the diced apple. Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cases and, if you fancy, sprinkle a few extra oats on top for that rustic look. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until risen, golden and springy to the touch. Cool on a wire rack, or don’t wait at all and eat one warm with a bit of butter and a hot brew.

  🌿 From the Plot

  I used apples straight from Lottie, but shop-bought Bramleys or Cox’s work just as well. You can even mix varieties for a balance of sweet and tart. These muffins freeze brilliantly too, just pop one in the microwave for 30 seconds when you fancy a warm treat.

  There’s a quiet joy in baking something so simple yet satisfying. It’s that moment when the kitchen smells like autumn and the world slows down a bit. If you try this recipe, tag me or drop a comment on the blog, I love seeing what everyone’s baking with their own harvests.

• 
  🍞 Bara Brith — The Speckled Loaf with SoulOctober 28, 2025

  Every so often, a recipe lands on the kitchen counter that feels like it’s always belonged there. For me, Bara Brith or “speckled bread” as it translates from Welsh is one of those quiet, comforting bakes that never shouts for attention but fills the house with that deep, nostalgic scent of spice, fruit, and warmth.

  It’s the kind of loaf that feels like a hug from someone’s nan sturdy, proud, and best served thickly sliced with a good smear of butter.

  🌿 My Lottie Version

  Because I can’t resist putting a little allotment twist on everything, I’ve added a tiny pinch of my mint salt to the mix just enough to lift the sweetness and make the fruit pop. You could just as easily try basil salt, or even a brush of lemon verbena syrup over the top while it’s still warm if you want a bit of shine and perfume.

  It’s a simple batter, tea-soaked fruit, brown sugar, self-raising flour, mixed spice, and an egg to bind it all. Into the oven it goes until the kitchen smells like Sunday afternoons and old cookbooks.

  Once cooled, I always slice it thick, spread it generously with butter, and make a proper cup of tea on the stove kettle. (Yorkshire, naturally.)

  🕰 A Little Heritage

  Now, if we’re talking true bara brith heritage, this loaf’s Welsh ancestors were made with yeast and butter, more of a rich fruit bread than a tea loaf. The yeasted version is slower, takes a good rise, and is often glazed with honey once baked. It’s the sort of bake that tells you to slow down and enjoy the process, kneading, waiting, and watching the dough puff up like it’s got a story to tell.

  Over time, as home baking became quicker and tea became the heart of the British kitchen, the yeasted loaf gradually gave way to the version we know today, tea-soaked, easy-going, and ready for a good slather of butter without any waiting around for dough to rise.

  So whether you call it Bara Brith or Tea Loaf, the soul of it’s the same: a celebration of patience, frugality, and good flavour, the sort of bake that makes use of what’s already in your cupboard.

  🍵 Serve It Your Way

  I love mine mid-morning down at Lottie, a cup of tea freshly brewed on the stove kettle by my side, watching the robins dart between the cabbage beds. There’s something about that soft slice of spiced fruit loaf that feels like it connects you to generations of thrifty, clever bakers who knew how to stretch a handful of ingredients into something special.

  📝 Bara Brith Recipe (Non-Yeasted Tea Loaf Style)

  Ingredients

  300 ml strong hot tea (Yorkshire or Earl Grey)

  300 g mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants — whatever you’ve got)

  100 g soft brown sugar

  1 large egg 225 g self-raising flour

  1 tsp mixed spice Pinch of salt (or a tiny pinch of your mint or basil salt for Lottie magic)

  Method

  Soak the fruit Pop the dried fruit into a bowl, pour over the hot tea, and stir in the sugar. Cover and leave overnight (or at least 6 hours) for the fruit to plump up. Preheat the oven 170°C (fan 150°C). Line a 2 lb loaf tin with baking paper. Mix it up Beat the egg and stir it into the soaked fruit (don’t drain it). Add the flour, mixed spice, and salt, folding gently until smooth. Bake Spoon the batter into the tin, level the top, and bake for 1 hour–1 hour 10 minutes. Test with a skewer , it should come out clean. Cool and serve Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out to cool fully. Slice thickly and serve with butter, maybe a drizzle of honey, and a cup of tea made on the Lottie stove kettle.

  💡 Lottie Tips:

  Add chopped walnuts or pumpkin seeds for a nutty crunch and a testosterone-friendly boost. Brush the warm loaf with a little lemon verbena syrup for shine and extra aroma. Store in an airtight tin — keeps well for several days, if it lasts that long!

• 
  🍇 Raspberry & Vanilla Jam — Straight from Lottie’s KitchenOctober 25, 2025

  There’s nothing quite like opening a jar of homemade jam in the depths of winter and catching a whiff of summer. This raspberry and vanilla version is pure comfort — rich, bright, and just a bit posh. I like to think of it as summer’s goodbye kiss, bottled and ready for when the mornings turn frosty.

  

  You don’t need fancy gear — just a big pan, a thermometer if you’ve got one, and a little patience. Oh, and a good playlist doesn’t hurt either.

  🧺 You’ll Need

  1 kg raspberries (fresh or frozen — mine came straight from Lottie’s patch) 800 g granulated sugar Juice of 1 lemon (about 40 ml) 1 tsp 100% natural vanilla essence Optional: a tiny pinch of mint salt or basil salt for a Lottie signature twist

  Makes about 4 × 12 oz jars of jam.

  🍯 Method

  Get your jars ready Pop them in a 120 °C oven for 10–15 minutes to sterilise while you make the jam. Keep the lids handy but don’t put them in the oven if they’ve got rubber seals. Warm up your raspberries Tip the raspberries and lemon juice into a large, heavy pan. Gently heat for about 5 minutes until the fruit softens and releases its juices — it should smell heavenly already. Add the sugar Stir in the sugar over a low heat until it’s completely dissolved. Don’t rush this — any undissolved sugar can make your jam crystallise later. Boil to setting point Bring the jam to a good rolling boil and keep it there until it hits 104–105 °C (220 °F) on your thermometer. If you prefer the old-school way, pop a spoonful on a cold saucer — if it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it’s ready. Add the flavour magic Take the pan off the heat, stir in the vanilla essence, and if you’re feeling fancy, a tiny pinch of your mint salt or basil salt here gives a lovely subtle lift. It’s your trademark touch, after all. Jar it up Carefully pour the hot jam into your warm jars (a jug makes this easier), leaving a small gap at the top. Seal straight away and leave to cool.

  🌿 A Little Lottie Wisdom

  Raspberries are fantastic for gut health — full of fibre and antioxidants — and that vanilla’s not just for flavour; it’s known to reduce stress and boost circulation (always handy in more ways than one).

  Label your jars once they’re cool and store in a dark cupboard. They’ll keep happily for a year, though I doubt they’ll last that long.

• 
  Beetroot Branston-StyleJuly 20, 2025

  🫙Beetroot Branston-Style Pickle – A Plot-Packed Classic.

  Right, gather round — because I’m about to let you in on a little Lottie secret. For three years now, I’ve been knocking up a beetroot chutney that’s got folks practically licking the jar. But this year? We’re taking it full Branston mode. Sweet, chunky, tangy, and jammed with that earthy beet goodness.

  And yep — we’re water-bathing this beauty so it’ll last us well into the colder months. Or until someone raids the pantry and nicks the lot. (Looking at you, Mrs W.)

  🌱 Why Beetroot?

  Because it’s a flaming plot workhorse, that’s why.

  Grows easy, keeps well, and when you pickle it properly — it absolutely sings. Think of this as a proper northern-style pickle with a little garden glamour.

  Beetroot gets the headline act here, backed up by onion, apple and a lovely warm hum of spice. And the best part? You probably grew half the ingredients yourself.

  🧺 What You’ll Need

  (Makes around 4 x 300ml jars)

  500g cooked beetroot, peeled and diced 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 300ml malt vinegar (or a mix of malt and balsamic if you fancy) 150g soft brown sugar 1 tbsp black treacle or molasses (optional, for richness) 1 tsp mustard seeds ½ tsp ground allspice ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli flakes (optional) ½ tsp salt A good grind of black pepper

  🥄 How To Make It

  Chuck everything into a large non-reactive pan (that’s a posh way of saying no aluminium, love). Bring it up to a gentle simmer, stirring till the sugar melts into the mix. Let it bubble away, uncovered, for about 45–60 mins — stir every now and then and let it reduce down to a glossy, spoonable pickle. Taste it. Too sharp? Bit more sugar. Too sweet? Dash of vinegar. Make it yours.

  🫙 Time to Can It – Water Bath Style

  Right, if you’re new to water bathing, don’t panic — it’s just posh boiling.

  Sterilise your jars (about 4 x 300ml) — dishwasher, oven or boiling water, whatever you’re comfy with. While the chutney’s still hot, ladle it in, leaving a 1cm headspace. Wipe the rims clean, pop the lids on (fingertip tight). Place jars into boiling water (fully submerged) and process for 15 minutes. Remove, let them cool on a towel, and listen for the satisfying pop of a proper seal.

  Store ‘em somewhere dark and cool — they’ll keep for a year (if you don’t eat ‘em all by Bonfire Night).

  🧀 How to Serve It

  Slathered in a cheese butty With a slab of pork pie Hidden under grilled halloumi Or just straight off the spoon, standing by the fridge door (don’t lie, we all do it)

  🌟 Final Thought

  This recipe is simple, satisfying and a brilliant way to make use of your beetroot haul. And when the nights draw in and your Lottie’s fast asleep, you’ll still have jars of summer to crack open and enjoy.

  Pop over to X site for more preserving joys — and if you make it, tag me! I want to see your jars. Especially if you’ve got a cheeky label for it 😘

  #PreserveThePlot #BeetrootBranston #DanglyPickleLove #AllotmentLife

• 
  Cherry ToppingJune 30, 2025

  Three years gone and here they are –

  Cherries blushing in the June sun,

  A pear or two with proper pride,

  And apples whispering, “we’ve just begun.”

  I planted hope, and watered dreams,

  Through rain and drought and wildbird schemes,

  And now on Lottie’s plot so dear,

  My orchard sings – fruit’s finally here. 💚

  #LottieLove #CherryOnTop #FruitfulMoments #PlotPoetry #DanglyJoy