Jams,chutneys and the other preserves-anybody still doing it?

Bettie

Usually make Marrow and ginger jam which a lot of people have thought was pineapple jam.
Chilli jam
Beetroot relish
Pectin I usually freeze from daughters apple tree.
Blackberry jam
Sloe gin/whisky/vodka
My favourite is sloe and apple jelly for savoury or sweet.
I still have so much from last year I don't think I'll bother this year .

misha101

hi, yes I have been making them for years. even ran my own preserves business until January this year.

are you looking for help?

Valli

Somewhere in the mist of time there's a thread called The Preserver's Year, which is a useful reference for what can be made when.

Today I went to a colleague's garden as I've been offered her black currants. Not sure what weight I've picked but I jammed 3lbs of them this evening. There's at least that much again! I have frozen the 'extra' I had prepped, the rest are in the fridge to jam or freeze this evening. After I've bought more sugar!

I've also made marmalade and rhubarb and ginger jam so far this year.

Teacher2

I often make small batches of jams when I have a few berries left over or buy them yellow stickered for peanuts.

This year I have made a large batch of Seville orange marmalade, enough for six months - and I have the rest of the oranges in the freezer to make another batch when the first runs out.

I have made raspberry and strawberry jam and batches of lemon curd.

Raspberry is very easy. If I have a few berries I add the same weight of sugar, half of it preserving sugar, bring to the boil and pot. Strawberry I make in the microwave and it needs more boiling so takes a little longer.

There is nothing like home made preserve on a slice of homemade bread or toast.

lesbro

I made grape and apple and apple and blackberry, from our own fruit last year. Looks like it's going to be a good grape harvest again so maybe grape jelly is on the cards. Still have one small jar of apple and grape left.

psouth

Still doing jams, pickles and chutneys. Pickled eggs and cucumber too. Love salting down runner beans and I have kilner jars from 1904 still working in the garage! Oh, and juices, cordials and wines, of course.m Each generation tends to lose some skills from the previous one My (grown up) kids love eating the spoils but don't/won't/can't do it themselves :eek:

Camomile

Got a couple of boxes of huge blackcurrants from my lovely MIL.
My not less lovely FIL is haunted by glut of cucumbers so far so got 6 minsters and wondering what the heck to do with them?

Camomile

Misha, if you have any tips I’d be grateful. Looking for some inspiration when it comes to different combos of fruit&veg, what goes well with what and how to achieve that.
I also need some education in variety of vinegars and what they are used for as there are so many of them.

misha101

hi,
to be honest, i mostly try things and see how they come out. With fruits with high pectin like apples or gooseberries you will pretty much always get them to set.

i just made allotment jam with rasps, gooseberries and a few blackcurrants, came out very well. I love using boose in jam and my favourite is rasp/lime and rum. try a bit of gin or prosecco in strawberry right at the end of the process before you put it in the jar. its a winner. also red wine in bramble jelly, or liquers in dark fruits such as tayberry or worcesterberry.


you can also make flavored spirits if you add the fruit to the spirits. great for presents.

What kind of vinegars have you been using? I use a Scottish made apple cider vinegar for chutneys, aspals do one that is very similar I add it to some fruit jellies as it cuts through the sweetness, Ie in a pot of apple and chilli jelly it cuts through the sweetness of the apple juice, same is true in jellies such as rowan berry.
I never use malt vinegar I think its way to strong and it contains gluten because its fermented with barley(I think)
You can make sweet vinegars for pickling vegetables as well.

To be honest I would buy a good book to give you the basics and then experiment. folk like pam corbin have been making preserves for decades, I found the river cottage book a really good basic starter.

eastcott5

Hi,

Late to this blog as i have been away

I don't have a huge garden or allotment. My fresh fruit - eg strawberries/raspberries etc is eaten fairly quickly. I make chutneys, eg apple. I pick hedgerow stuff - blackberries and make blackberry and apple jelly - usually from neighbour surplus ( windfall) fruits, also have a greenhouse which has a grape vine with pips - so not too popular but makes great jelly. I sometimes get end of day stuff from the local market.

I have just purloined a recipe from my sisters magazine for hedgerow jelly - which includes sloes - which i am going to try.

I also make mixed fruit marmalade - Lemon, grapefruit and Orange - much sharper and tangier than any bought stuff.

I also use the web site - 'the Cottage Small holder ' - very good on tips and advice.

I have a couple of books from second hand book shops including Marguerite Patten. About to go on first blackberry pick of the season.
Great blog.

( penny pinching pensioner)



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