Topic: 2006 Jams

[Moggle]

Here is a pic of the jams I have made so far this year:



I'm pretty chuffed seeing that I don't have a lottie (or even a garden), or car to get to a pick your own. Most of the fruit I have picked from the hedgerows, and the raspbs were given to me by a colleague. Bought a few apples for the jellies, and bought the blueberries.

Many thanks to those on here who helped with recipes and bullace/damson identification  :)

[supersprout]

 :o what a fabulous haul! and lovely labels!
how do you do them moggle? ::)

[tricia]

I was just going to ask that :P :P ;D. I like the jars in the foreground too. Where did you get them?

Tricia

[Emagggie]

I see you made the 'hedgerow' jam,Moggle. Marks out of 10 for taste please. ;D
Isnt it satisfying to make things to be had for the picking? Well done you.

[cambourne7]

yes do tell

[Mrs Ava]

A very satisfying photo Moggle.  Lovely and yummy!  And your labels are amazing!

[Jitterbug]

Well done Moggle!  Happy eating.

Jitterbug

[Gadfium]

They look scrumptious. Did you design the labels? Elegant, or what!

[Moggle]

Thanks guys!

The labels are just 'borrowed' address labels from work - 99*33mm. The font is called 'viner hand itc' and is from MS Word which is the program I did the labels in. The pictures came from clipart online, again accessed through MS word. I can try to email out a document with a good selection of pics if people are interested - I'm sure no-one will tell Bill Gates! PM me your email and make sure you say what fruit/veg you particularly want.

The jars are from M&S, their sun dried toms and olives come in them - as well as a few other things of that type. I made sure they were at the front of the pic, cos I think they look nice. They are put to one side now to be part of a 'matching set' to give to the in-laws at Christmas along with some other food goodies.

I'd give the hedgerow a 7 or an 8 for taste (raspberry being 10 in my book  :)) Very full flavour and a bit tart and also a bit 'tannic'?? kind of like a good full-bodied red wine (but sweet of course). It might be even better strained and as a jelly - I only discovered this year how much I liked jellies.

[prink13]

WOW! What a great spread oj jams, I'm always interested in using products from the hedgrow etc. am going to pick crab apples and rowan berries later today to try a couple of jellies, but had very little success with jellies so far (this is only my 1st year of jams/jelies/chutneys) Is there a secret to Jelly making?

Kathi

[supersprout]

don't squeeze the jelly bag
 :-[ ;D

... and thank you moggle :-*
oh just noticed the jam tally :o ;D ;D

[Mrs Ava]

ooo, I am a gentle squeezer!  ;D

[Moggle]

I'm a gentle squeezer too  :)

My essential tool with jellies (and jams) has been a sugar thermometer - no wondering if setting point has been reached - you know from the thermometer.

Prink, I found with crab-apples I didn't add enough water on the first go. I covered around 500gm with water, boiled for ages, strained and only had half a pint of liquid. So I put more water back in with the pulp, with some lemon juice and the rind, and re-strained and got at least another half pint to a pint! So don't be afraid to add more water than you might think at first.