The Preserver's Year

Happyroly

Advice please - I am intending to buy the River Cottage book BUT if you were only allowed to have one book on preserves which one would you choose/recommend?
Thank you.

*zippy*

Happyroly I bought Marguerite Patten's The Basic Basics Jams, Preserves and Chutneys, seems a good all rounder for a beginner like myself.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Basic-Basics-Jams-Preserves-Chutneys/dp/1902304721/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232150319&sr=8-1

I Borrowed the river cottage preserves book from the library last week and there were some nice recipes in it so will probably buy that one too.

Penelope_Penguin

Happyroly wrote: »

Advice please - I am intending to buy the River Cottage book BUT if you were only allowed to have one book on preserves which one would you choose/recommend?
Thank you.

I'm facing the same dilemma Take a look at this thread where there are lots of recommendations and opinions - Preserves book.

Penny. x

NoahsPennilessMummy

I`d go for the River Cottage one...but then again I am a bit of a Hugh fan:D .

I have my peel on simmer for 2 hours at the mo for my marmalade.....doing all that peel last night was hard work but am hoping it will be worth it!!

thriftmonster

This is my rough calendar (see notes at end)

January: Seville orange marmalade

February: Lemon and lime marmalade, St Benoit marmalade (made in memory of the day in Feb 2000 my dad had a heart bypass and to pass the time waiting for the phone call from my Mum to say all was ok I made 3 different lots of marmalade - we were eating it for years - BTW my dad is still fine)

March: Onion relish

April: Rhubarb and fig jam, rhubarb chutney, rhubarb vodka

May: Gooseberry gin, pickled beetroot (or whenever I see it in the greengrocers)

June: Strawberry and goosegog jam, corn relish (it's made with frozen corn but I make it now for the summer), south seas chutney, spicy mango pickle (last two to deal with mangoes I get directly from Africa via a local church)
July: Apricot/ cherry brandy, ratatouille chutney, redcurrant jelly (if I can beat the birds)

August: Spiced pickled runner beans, blackcurrant jam, raspberry jam, Cucumber relish, bread and butter pickles, raspberry vinegar, creme de cassis

September: Bramble and apple jelly, mint and apple jelly, blackberry chutney, damson gin, damson jam, blackberry ketchup, crab apple jelly, elderberry syrup

October: Rowan jelly plus finish off September, toffee vodka, chilli sherry (HM tabasco)

November: Spicy orange chutney, pickled red cabbage,

December: Emergency marmalade supplies for hampers

I make some things all year round - orange and grapefruit marmalade (Mamade), tomato ketchup, Eastern chutney for dh (orange and date), pickled onions (because my greengrocer keeps them all year), lemon curd for pressies, tomato and apple chutney (tinned tomatoes).

Looking forward to seeing others

thriftlady_2

NoahsPennilessMummy wrote: »

I`d go for the River Cottage one...but then again I am a bit of a Hugh fan:D .

It isn't actually by Hugh, it's by Pam Corbin;) I recommend it. Another of my favourites is Quick and Easy Preserves by Simone Sekers, it is out of print but copies can be bought cheaply on amazon. Good Housekeeping do a pretty comprehesive one too.

Thriftmonster I love your calendar :T :T Perversely I like all the things that aren't seasonal. It is great to have a collection of recipes you can make at any time of the year using exotic fruit or tinned produce.

I mentioned jam out of tinned apricots and peaches, I've also made jam from frozen summer berries. Mamade is great for when you're hm supplies have run out early.

I used to have a fantastic recipe for chutney made from dried apricots, red onions and mustard seeds which I got from the BBC Good Food mag years ago. Wish I still had it.

NoahsPennilessMummy

yes I know it is not by Hugh, I have the book, but it is part of the River Cottage series.;)

I also have a book called Preserving by Oded Shwartz which I got for 50p at a charity shop which is good and has some unusual ones in it.

twink

Thriftmonster i would love to get the recipe for tomato and apple chutney using tinned tomatoes if it wasnt too much bother

thriftmonster

Hi Twink,

Tomato and apple chutney - based on a Ballymaloe recipe by Darina Allen

10 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes (in metric the original was 3.6kg - so I use 10 x 400g tins of value chopped tomatoes - the extra one to make up for being tinned )
1lb onions, chopped
1lb apples, peeled and chopped (the original says eating but I use whatever I have in - good for wrinklies in the fruit bowl)
3lb sugar
1.5 pts white malt vinegar (can use brown if stuck)
2tbsp salt
2tsp ground ginger
3tsp ground black pepper (or 60 turns of the pepper mill)
3tsp allspice
4 garlic cloves, squashed
1 lvl tsp cayenne
8-12oz sultanas

Stick it all together into a preserving pan and simmer till reduced and a chutney consistency (I use the wooden spoon not leaving a trail of vinegar). Pot and leave for at least 2 weeks (I usually go for a standard 6 weeks maturing as a minimum). Should make 8-10lbs. This has been a popular choice amongst my hamper recipients

HTH :beer:

steerpike

Made elderberry and bramble port with foraged fruit last year, Elderberry and clove cordial ( very cheap but effective cough mixture - very warming) and raspberry vodka courtsey of Sainsburys selling soft fruit off at 10p per punnet on New Years Eve .

Am planning to make blackberry cordial as soon as I get enough bottles.

I still have a large bucketful of wild apples - too sour to eat even though they have softened up and gone golden....does anyone have any ideas what these could be use for please? I have a recipe for crab apple jelly but what do you do with it once its made?

The elderflower cordial sound lovely - might have a go this year;)