Chutneys and preserves

[MrsCadwallader]

I'm having a domestic goddess moment

Having just harvested a mega-crop of plums from our tree in the garden, my mind has turned to jam-making and the like, which in turn has made me reach for the lovely, beautiful (and as yet unused) 'Delia's Christmas' book my MIL gave me as a present last Christmas.

I would REALLY like to have a go at making some stuff both for ourselves and for Christmas presents this year, but I am totally daunted by the whole exercise! I have a big, heavy stock-pot which I could use for cooking stuff in, but most of the recipes involved straining through muslin, wax-paper discs for sealing etc etc.

I've been browsing the Lakeland website for equipment and it's relatively inexpensive (esp if it counts as part of the Christmas presents budget) but I'm not sure what I actually NEED / which are the best products to buy.

Does anyone here make their own preserves? Can you give me any tips? Am I setting myself up for disaster?!

Here's a link to the Lakeland site if anyone fancies a bit of kitchen porn

www.lakeland.co.uk/F/C/cooking-baking

I'd be very grateful for any advice!

Sinkingfeeling - I don't have a recipe but try www.allotment.org you might find something in their recipe section. I found a great cucumber and green tomato relish on there.
I made blackberry jam last week, and looking forward to the blackberry and apple vodka at Xmas!

ohhh blackberry and apple vodka, that sounds lovely. to you have a recipe link? mmm must admit that all this fruit is not doing my babywinningwagon efforts much good as I seem to just want to make (and drink) exotic alcoholic drinks from it all :o

lol at courgette chutney comment teamted. best bet is to make batches of ratatouille and freeze it as courgettes usually coincide with tomato glut and onion harvest. funny how you realise how certain recipes were invented when you start growing stuff.

I don't have a recipe but it's really simple. Take a large, clean jar, approx 1 litre (large vinegar jars are perfect). Throw in 225g blackberries, 225g chopped and peeled cooking apple and 225g sugar. Fill to the top of the jar with vodka and put the lid on. Shake well everyday for a week then once a week thereafter. Should be ready in 8-10 weeks.

Sorry should have pointed out this recipe also works with gin (but I hate the stuff!).

And just strain through a fine sieve or a muslin when it's ready, and be sure to eat the vodka soaked fruit with ice-cream!

brilliant thanks southwold similar to raspberry gin then. (i love the stuff) but doesn't hurt to have a variety of spirit based drinks :o

This might be a big no no. But I make jam and I've never bothered with the wax seals for the jars.

I just sterilise the jars by giving them a thorough clean and then heating them in the oven.

I don't have a jam pan or thermometer or a funnel or any of the fancy equipment.

I just boil up equal parts fruit and sugar with some lemon juice thrown in and voila! Jam!

It really is easy peasy.

So just get stuck in and have a go. So long as you get the set right and sterilise your jars, you'll be fine. :)

Have fun!

Hi

I sterlise my Jars in the dishwasher using them as soon as cycle finishes they are very hot and clean.

I have lots of greenages was just going to replace them for plums in jam and chutney reciepes does anyone think this will work or have any good greenage recipes.

I'm thinking of buying some 8 oz jam jars, cos I think the jam keeps a little fresher than the big pots. Does anyone know where I can get wax covers to fit these smaller jars?

I don't normally bother with the wax covers, but this year I'm making jam for other people and thought it might be a good thing to add.

Thanks everyone! I'm now feeling thoroughly inspired

I'm going to sit down later and make careful and studious notes from all your posts. And lists. I need to make lists. They I shall don my pinny and get stuck in

werewolf from my extensive googling last night, I found you can get wax covers from lakeland. You could probably get them on Ebay too, I would imagine - they are really quite cheap.

Wax covers are a faff, although my preserve book recommends using new lids each time. Lakeland also sell plain white lids or pretty gingham ones, very reasonably priced. If you're giving the jars away as presents you can still buy the pretty rounds of material to put round the top if you don't like the lids on display!

Ooh - thanks for the replies. I'll probably do without the wax covers then.

I also found out I meant 1lb jars, rather than 8 oz. Think they'd be too small for a family really, although could be good for a gift for one person...

And that Lakeland site just compels you to spend money!