Put away your purse & become debt-averse

PurpleFairy26

All sounds lovely foxglove . Like the idea of Apple and mint jelly. I’m likely to get some gifted apples at some point so that sounds like a winner. We’ve been out this afternoon and picked about 4kg of blackberries from by the local field. Just soaking in salt water. Still have a couple if handfuls of last years in the freezer. Will make some jam and freeze the rest for autumnal crumbles. 

foxgloves

Oooh, fantastic haul of blackberries, PurpleFairy. Good work! Apple & mint jelly is an easy one as no need to peel or core, as long as any bruised or gunky bits are cut out. I tried making it with sage one year, but I didn't like it as much as the sage was quite sort of granular. I suppose it is a tougher leaf than mint, though.
F x

marionmgcars

PurpleFairy26 said:

All sounds lovely foxglove . Like the idea of Apple and mint jelly. I’m likely to get some gifted apples at some point so that sounds like a winner. We’ve been out this afternoon and picked about 4kg of blackberries from by the local field. Just soaking in salt water. Still have a couple if handfuls of last years in the freezer. Will make some jam and freeze the rest for autumnal crumbles. 

Never heard of soaking in salted water ?  Is there a reason for this, and how much do you use please ?

Onebrokelady

I'm glad to see you haven't been buried under an avalanche of vegetables 😀 loved the NVQ level 5 Tetris 😀 I defrosted my fridge freezer on Tuesday and refilled it on Wednesday, it's looking very organised 😊

PurpleFairy26

marionmgcars said:

PurpleFairy26 said:

All sounds lovely foxglove . Like the idea of Apple and mint jelly. I’m likely to get some gifted apples at some point so that sounds like a winner. We’ve been out this afternoon and picked about 4kg of blackberries from by the local field. Just soaking in salt water. Still have a couple if handfuls of last years in the freezer. Will make some jam and freeze the rest for autumnal crumbles. 

Never heard of soaking in salted water ?  Is there a reason for this, and how much do you use please ?

In theory it’s to kill any bugs and nasties that might be in there. Obviously they’d be drowned by the water anyway if you just soaked them but it’s something my mum and nan always did so I’ve just picked it up off them. I just cover the blackberries in water so submerged and then add a few good pinches of salt. No exact science I’m afraid. Then drain thoroughly the next day or after a good few hours and rinse with cold water. Doesn’t effect the taste at all. 

PurpleFairy26

foxgloves said:

Oooh, fantastic haul of blackberries, PurpleFairy. Good work! Apple & mint jelly is an easy one as no need to peel or core, as long as any bruised or gunky bits are cut out. I tried making it with sage one year, but I didn't like it as much as the sage was quite sort of granular. I suppose it is a tougher leaf than mint, though.
F x

If weather ok we may go back in the week as there is so many more to still be ripe on the patch where we go. And it’s so huge an area that there is plenty left for other too so don’t feel like I’m taking the lions share. There should be some damsons your there ready soon so will be looking for those too. We love lamb in this house and are all for a dollop of chutney/ jelly type stuff in a casserole, gravy, cottage pie etc.. so it would be nice for a different variety of home made. 

May need to roast some gifted cherry tomatoes as we had a glut already. Not that I’m complaining at all but I don’t want them to go to waste. Will see if any of my basil plantation is ready to be roasted with them. 

foxgloves

That's interesting about the salt water, Purps. My Nan & Mum were both jam makers & taught me how to make it when I was about 12. I've never heard of soaking blackberries in salt water before so that was interesting. I just rinse berries from our garden before using or freezing, but I do leave wild berries in a bowl of water for a little while just so any little grubs find their way out. These aren't usually much of a problem if undamaged berries have been picked, but nobody wants to spread one on their toast so it's as well to do at least a short soak, I think.
F 

DawnW

I haven't picked any blackberries yet, mainly because we are struggling with piles of yellow autumn raspberries, which have gone mad this year, canes sprouting up everywhere! I will have to dig up and rehome a good number of plants once they have finished fruiting, as they are crowding out the red ones, whose flavour is in my opinion superior, and even the loganberry and the rhubarb, both thuggish plants in their own right, which just goes to show how rampant these yellow raspberries are!

Baileys_Babe

Like @PurpleFairy26 I was taught to soak blackberries in salt water to remove any bugs, sometimes I rebel and only use water 🤫

foxgloves

Dawn - it seems several things have gone rampant this year..... yellow raspberries for you & french beans for us. We are also inundated with apples, which is good in a way, as our pear tree is clearly having a year off. Only a very few fruits & these are being nibbled by Naughty Nutkin for dessert after he's stuffed himself with our bird nuts.
F x