Jamming

[Mrs Ava]

Well, the fruit has started coming, and at quite an impressive and rapid rate, so this evening was spent jamming!

Have made Strawberry and Rhubarb (W.I. recipe), Black Cherry, and have a bowl of rhubarb steeping in sugar for 24 hours for Rhubarb and orange, which I will make tomorrow whilst I wait for the gas man to come service the central heating....in the middle of this heat wave!

Still have a couple of bags of plum and loads of bags of different berries in the freezer, so I really should make some more!

Oh yes, and really for the drinks section, but I also have a bottle of cherry brandy quietly brewing in the cupboard!  :P

[Mrs Ava]

[return of the mac]

Lookin good EJ- just planted fruit this year so i havent got much, cant wait for my first jamming session. I have bought rhubarb and strawb jam though- its really delish

[Mrs Ava]

Rhubarb and orange jam, made this morning!  ;D

[moonbells]

Oh help - I still haven't eaten about 8 jars from last year   ::) ::)

I really must take some into work and remember to have it for breakfast!

I adore jellies and blackcurrant jam: think that despite the extra trouble I would rather do raspberry seedless than seeded. 

It's the bramble jelly that becomes time consuming when you've got as many blackberries as I get... each year I prune the plants (Himalayan Giant) drastically, and each year they seem to get bigger to spite me. So do the thorns ! :o :o

moonbells

ps sage jelly is fantastic. 
pps http://www.greatbritishkitchen.co.uk/recipes_search.asp?category=Jams
is the site I use most though they just metricised it so you don't get a neat 5lbs any more.

[Mrs Ava]

You are a true goddess Moonbells!  I was speaking to my mum earlier about the abundance of apples I will have come late summer, and all the lovely herbs I have grown this year, and she suggested herb jellies, and now you have led me to this website.  Parsley jelly for goodness sakes!  ;D  I wonder if that recipe will work for basil as I appear to have a plantation of it!

[Mothy]

Moonbells, that's a great site, thank you!  ;D

[Piglottie]

Brilliant site Moonbells - just need to grow some produce now!

[Debs]

EJ - Do you have the Rhubarb and strawberry jam recipe.

It sounds yummy :P

Debs

[Mrs Ava]

I do Debs.

Strawberry and Rhubarb jam

1 1/2 Ibs strawberries
1 1/2 Ibs rhubarb
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 Iba granulated sugar

Clean and chop the rhubarb and add to 1/4 pint of water.  Cook until the rhubarb is quite tender - about 15 minutes.  Add the cleaned strawberries and lemon juice and cook until the juices start to run, about 10 minutes.
Mash the fruit down with a potato masher and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes until the fruit has reduced to a thick puree.
Add the sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved then bring to the boil and continue to boil until setting point is reached.
Pour into sterilised jars, seal and store.

[Debs]

Shall be making some soon.. thanks!

Debs

[Gravinder]

i hope you like jamming to

[moonbells]

Brilliant site Moonbells - just need to grow some produce now!

You can have some of mine...

3.5lbs raspberry jelly on Saturday, and probably similar in bramble waiting for Sir to stop using the jam cauldron for an eternal chilli and give it back... preferably washed!

;D ;D

moonbells (picked SIX marrows yesterday - three oopses I knew about and three I hadn't spotted, so I *WILL* be doing marrow and ginger if only to get shot of one of the beasties!!)

[moonbells]

Postscript: just prepared 4lb marrow and had to put it in the giant cauldron for its overnight sugar soak. What I didn't expect was how fast the sugar drew out the water! Within an hour I could stir the panful... Tomorrow night there will be some serious boiling as well as cake making (I've found a recipe for a fat-free Christmas cake for a rellie who has gallstones - and if it works I'm making another for me!)

moonbells