Preparing for Winter V

Floss

silvasava said:

When having a freezrr clear out I've made jam from a mixture of raspberries, loganberries, blackberries,blacurrants and blueberries - came out fine and very tasty as its not too sweet.  Didnt bother with proportions just made the weight up to what I needed. I have a quince tree with two neighbours waiting in the wings for them to ripen  

In a former life I used to make allotment jam using whatever random fruits were languishing in the freezer when the last of the rasps were picked...it was never the same twice!

I live about a mile away from the National Quince Collection and need to watch out for Quince weekend so I can snag some to make membrillo 😁

[Deleted User]

Another one ticked off I'll soon have a line.

VJsmum

Floss said:

silvasava said:

When having a freezrr clear out I've made jam from a mixture of raspberries, loganberries, blackberries,blacurrants and blueberries - came out fine and very tasty as its not too sweet.  Didnt bother with proportions just made the weight up to what I needed. I have a quince tree with two neighbours waiting in the wings for them to ripen  

In a former life I used to make allotment jam using whatever random fruits were languishing in the freezer when the last of the rasps were picked...it was never the same twice!

I live about a mile away from the National Quince Collection and need to watch out for Quince weekend so I can snag some to make membrillo 😁

What's membrillo - come to that, what does quince look like?
I'd love to do sloe gin, but don't know what they look like either...  

[Deleted User]

I've got odds on a full card and being able to shout HOUSE!

Floss

Membrillo is quince cheese...the stuff you get in tapas with manchego cheese.

You will probably see plenty of black thorn on your hedging work...that's where sloes come from...start taking a sturdy bag with you!

[Deleted User]

C.mon I'll have to start another card at this rate.

VJsmum

Floss said:

Membrillo is quince cheese...the stuff you get in tapas with manchego cheese.

You will probably see plenty of black thorn on your hedging work...that's where sloes come from...start taking a sturdy bag with you!

Ah, I love manchego so i'll keep an eye out for quince. 

Oh cool - i will take a look for sloes where we go hedging.  It's sloe season soon is it not? Blackthorn is a bu88er to lay so i'd like to get something back from it (gives you a little poison ding in your hand if you catch a thorn). 
I sent OH up the railway line for blackberries today, but someone had taken the hedgecutter there recently so there were none..

Floss

Yes, sloes will be ripening soon, they are a dark blue with a sort of duskiness...bu&&ers to see at first but once you get your eye in, you'll spot them! Allegedly they are better after the first frost, but I always chuck them in the freezer 😉

annieb64

Sloes are supposed to be better after the first frost. Blackberries  are only just starting to ripen here but we are taking a bag with us on our daily walks. So far we've  picked wild raspberries  and wimberries but the wimberries are quite small this year.

Islandmaid

Sloes can be bletted in the freezer, saves you having to stab holes in the too 👍
FLOSS - I make Membrillo too, thanks to a friend with a quince tree/bush - I cover it in food grade wax which lets it marinate for a few weeks.  Friends love it and quince jelly in their Christmas hampers with some Port, cheese and HM seeded crackers
Medlars also make a good fruit cheese and jelly 👍