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What are you preserving today?
Page 3 of 6 • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Re: What are you preserving today?
Callycarpa Americana, I grow them too
Today I made mango chutney and 6 liters of blueberry jam and a liter of gherkins - the way the cucumber vines are fruiting, this is the first of many many jars of gherkins
Today I made mango chutney and 6 liters of blueberry jam and a liter of gherkins - the way the cucumber vines are fruiting, this is the first of many many jars of gherkins
................................................................................................................................
Paradise Papercraft
Etsy shop
Re: What are you preserving today?
Wow - that colour is quite something. I assume they could be used to dye fabric / yarn too. That would be a magical colour for a hat or similar!
Mrs C
Mrs C
................................................................................................................................
My blog, Being Mrs C: http://www.beingmrsc.com
Mr C and my other project, UK Nature Blog: http://www.uknatureblog.com
Re: What are you preserving today?
Just made a lot of blackberry jam. My Mum would be so pleased with me

................................................................................................................................
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Elenor Roosevelt
] Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think...
So take care of yourself, be Happy, Love Deeply and enjoy life!
polgara- Posts : 3028
Join date : 2009-11-16
Age : 74
Location : Sunshine Isle
Re: What are you preserving today?
I've made some "tidy the food cupboard chutney" - it smelled and tasted allright, hopefully it will mature well!
Lakshmi- Posts : 189
Join date : 2010-07-01
Location : Devon, UK
Re: What are you preserving today?
Today I processed tomatoes, got a 3 liters of sauce from the first crop - looks like another hundred to come

................................................................................................................................
Paradise Papercraft
Etsy shop
Re: What are you preserving today?
lucky you, badger! tomato sauce is part of my staples.
Lakshmi- Posts : 189
Join date : 2010-07-01
Location : Devon, UK
Re: What are you preserving today?
I'm jealous - tomtoes this year were a disaster (my fault), but the figs are fantastic (nothing to do with me!) so tonight is fig jam time...
GoneDutch- Posts : 3
Join date : 2011-09-01
Age : 55
Location : Haarlemmermeer
Re: What are you preserving today?
I should be doing something creative with all the pears I've got, but they're so delicious I keep eating them....

................................................................................................................................
The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly in the air like birds and swim in the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers and sisters.
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5199
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 64
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you preserving today?
Made another lot of mustard pickle for OH, think I have run out of space to store it now.
Going to pickle some of the small onions I think as I have rather a lot.
Going to pickle some of the small onions I think as I have rather a lot.
................................................................................................................................
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Elenor Roosevelt
] Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think...
So take care of yourself, be Happy, Love Deeply and enjoy life!
polgara- Posts : 3028
Join date : 2009-11-16
Age : 74
Location : Sunshine Isle
Re: What are you preserving today?
Today I found myself up to my nipples in peaches - a friend had bought a bushel of them (without knowing how much a bushel was...
)
I got her surplus, so made Peach and Orange marmalade

I got her surplus, so made Peach and Orange marmalade
................................................................................................................................
Paradise Papercraft
Etsy shop
Re: What are you preserving today?
How much is a bushel??
................................................................................................................................
The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly in the air like birds and swim in the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers and sisters.
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5199
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 64
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you preserving today?
15 kilos or 8 gallons...
................................................................................................................................
Paradise Papercraft
Etsy shop
Re: What are you preserving today?
I've just almost finished processing 30 lbs of Damsons. I've made wine, gin, and puree which is being frozen, plus damson ice cream which is DIVINE!
I'm starting on the first of the apples now - have been dealing with windfalls for a couple of weeks, just for pies etc, but the jackdaws are going mad on the Bramley tree out there so will have to pick some of the best early whilst they're still still (and send OH out with the air rifle to deal with the pesky things).
Blackberries too, but not a good year for them in our neck of the woods.
I'm starting on the first of the apples now - have been dealing with windfalls for a couple of weeks, just for pies etc, but the jackdaws are going mad on the Bramley tree out there so will have to pick some of the best early whilst they're still still (and send OH out with the air rifle to deal with the pesky things).
Blackberries too, but not a good year for them in our neck of the woods.
Re: What are you preserving today?
peaches and raspberries go well together in a kind of peach melba jam. if somewhat sweet to my taste. I know there are more recipes in my books so say if you need more ideas.
Lakshmi- Posts : 189
Join date : 2010-07-01
Location : Devon, UK
Re: What are you preserving today?
Pears in the dehydrator, ducks and bacon in the smoker, guanciale in the drycure box, culatello resting in wine and garlic.
................................................................................................................................
www.killandcure.net/blog/
Re: What are you preserving today?
Just damson gin ongoing here... Second batch about to be sorted.
Mrs C
Mrs C
................................................................................................................................
My blog, Being Mrs C: http://www.beingmrsc.com
Mr C and my other project, UK Nature Blog: http://www.uknatureblog.com
Re: What are you preserving today?
MrsC wrote:Wow - that colour is quite something. I assume they could be used to dye fabric / yarn too. That would be a magical colour for a hat or similar!
Mrs C
I just wish the color would stay but as soon as it heats up it goes a dull pinkish

Not much preserved lately but a couple of pear trees are calling to me. They are a southern pear, very CRISP and watery with an OK pear taste.
NOT a favorite to be honest but have a recipe for pear butter that looks tasty.
And have you heard? Scientists have now discovered butter is good for you. What planet do they live on that they didn't know that already???
................................................................................................................................
Laugh and the world laughs with you, laugh hysterically, for no apparent reason, and they'll leave you alone!
The Gods answer all our prayers. Unfortunately, sometimes, the answer is no!
"When in doubt, choose to live!"
GB- Homemade Moderator
- Posts : 3228
Join date : 2009-11-14
Location : Cumbria
Re: What are you preserving today?
[quote="GB"]Not much preserved lately but a couple of pear trees are calling to me. They are a southern pear, very CRISP and watery with an OK pear taste.
quote]
Have you tried Korean Pears? (Asian Pears) They're fab. Had them fresh when I was in Korea. About the size of a Grapefruit, with a very firm fruit. Nice pear/apple flavor. Haven't tried cooking them. Had brought seeds home with me, but don't think they're still viable after 10 years in a house temp cabinet, lol. Would love to look them up again should I ever get a proper orchard, sigh...
quote]
Have you tried Korean Pears? (Asian Pears) They're fab. Had them fresh when I was in Korea. About the size of a Grapefruit, with a very firm fruit. Nice pear/apple flavor. Haven't tried cooking them. Had brought seeds home with me, but don't think they're still viable after 10 years in a house temp cabinet, lol. Would love to look them up again should I ever get a proper orchard, sigh...
mr_sfstk8d- Posts : 584
Join date : 2010-12-01
Age : 43
Location : Peoria, IL, US
Re: What are you preserving today?
[quote="mr_sfstk8d"]
http://www.ediblelandscaping.com/buyPlants.php This lot have Asian Pears and they do sound nice.
The Southern Pear was the only one resistant to blight for decades but because they are NOT the best pear they seem to have died out now
They only hang on here and there, like the old apples do, waiting to be rediscovered adn saved.
So, I shall be trying to save these two I have found. They are beautiful trees, flowers in spring and heaps of fruit in late summer and even if its not super fruit, its still something nice to have for hte pigs if for no other reason
GB wrote:Not much preserved lately but a couple of pear trees are calling to me. They are a southern pear, very CRISP and watery with an OK pear taste.
quote]
Have you tried Korean Pears? (Asian Pears) They're fab. Had them fresh when I was in Korea. About the size of a Grapefruit, with a very firm fruit. Nice pear/apple flavor. Haven't tried cooking them. Had brought seeds home with me, but don't think they're still viable after 10 years in a house temp cabinet, lol. Would love to look them up again should I ever get a proper orchard, sigh...
http://www.ediblelandscaping.com/buyPlants.php This lot have Asian Pears and they do sound nice.
The Southern Pear was the only one resistant to blight for decades but because they are NOT the best pear they seem to have died out now

So, I shall be trying to save these two I have found. They are beautiful trees, flowers in spring and heaps of fruit in late summer and even if its not super fruit, its still something nice to have for hte pigs if for no other reason

................................................................................................................................
Laugh and the world laughs with you, laugh hysterically, for no apparent reason, and they'll leave you alone!
The Gods answer all our prayers. Unfortunately, sometimes, the answer is no!
"When in doubt, choose to live!"
GB- Homemade Moderator
- Posts : 3228
Join date : 2009-11-14
Location : Cumbria
Re: What are you preserving today?
Ooh, that's funny - it's exactly a year to the day since GB wrote the last post on this thread.
Well, I'm just having a sit down, being a bit stiffnakey. Trying desperately to deal with the cooking apples off of our very elderly tree. It's a soft apple that doesn't keep at all well, but I love the flavour. I had the tree identified by the RHS, who reckoned it is an old variety called Stirling Castle. The fruit tends to disintegrate in bottling, and I'm very short of freezer space, so most of the crop is being dehydrated. Just finished a full load, which will go on tonight, to take advantage of cheap rate electricity. I've only had the dehydrator about 6 months, so this is all quite new to me. My dried chillies last year (which I did in the oven) were so successful, I decided that it would be worth the expense of buying the dehydrator. So far I've dried more chillies, bay leaves, courgettes, apples, pears, strawberries and the good bits I cut off the onions that the slugs got at. Oh, and liver for dog treats.
I have also been bottling the fruit from a much newer, cordon cooking apple tree, Annie Elizabeth. That is a solid, keeping fruit, so I've just been processing the windfalls so far. Bit of an experiment - since the man has been diagnosed with diabetes, I am not using a sugar syrup as I usually do for fruit bottling. My book says you can bottle in water, but with some loss of flavour, so I have decided to try using a sweetner instead of sugar. I've added some lemon juice just to make sure the acidity is good. I don't love the idea of using sweetners, and mostly try not to use them, but the apples are much too tart to eat without.
Well, I'm just having a sit down, being a bit stiffnakey. Trying desperately to deal with the cooking apples off of our very elderly tree. It's a soft apple that doesn't keep at all well, but I love the flavour. I had the tree identified by the RHS, who reckoned it is an old variety called Stirling Castle. The fruit tends to disintegrate in bottling, and I'm very short of freezer space, so most of the crop is being dehydrated. Just finished a full load, which will go on tonight, to take advantage of cheap rate electricity. I've only had the dehydrator about 6 months, so this is all quite new to me. My dried chillies last year (which I did in the oven) were so successful, I decided that it would be worth the expense of buying the dehydrator. So far I've dried more chillies, bay leaves, courgettes, apples, pears, strawberries and the good bits I cut off the onions that the slugs got at. Oh, and liver for dog treats.
I have also been bottling the fruit from a much newer, cordon cooking apple tree, Annie Elizabeth. That is a solid, keeping fruit, so I've just been processing the windfalls so far. Bit of an experiment - since the man has been diagnosed with diabetes, I am not using a sugar syrup as I usually do for fruit bottling. My book says you can bottle in water, but with some loss of flavour, so I have decided to try using a sweetner instead of sugar. I've added some lemon juice just to make sure the acidity is good. I don't love the idea of using sweetners, and mostly try not to use them, but the apples are much too tart to eat without.
freebird- Posts : 2110
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 64
Location : Powys
Re: What are you preserving today?
This is what I am not preserving - a neighbour gave me a bag of small plums. I prepared them, and put them in a pan with a little water and sugar on a low gas while University Challenge was starting. I didn't bother to put the timer on (big mistake), thinking I would smell them cooking and remember to turn them off.
I didn't even smell them burning...
The pan took 24 hours soaking and scrubbing to get clean again. I was cross with myself for wasting plums, sugar and gas - I'll time them next time!!
I didn't even smell them burning...
The pan took 24 hours soaking and scrubbing to get clean again. I was cross with myself for wasting plums, sugar and gas - I'll time them next time!!
................................................................................................................................
The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly in the air like birds and swim in the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers and sisters.
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5199
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 64
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you preserving today?
Dandelion wrote:This is what I am not preserving - a neighbour gave me a bag of small plums. I prepared them, and put them in a pan with a little water and sugar on a low gas while University Challenge was starting. I didn't bother to put the timer on (big mistake), thinking I would smell them cooking and remember to turn them off.
I didn't even smell them burning...
The pan took 24 hours soaking and scrubbing to get clean again. I was cross with myself for wasting plums, sugar and gas - I'll time them next time!!
I shouldnt laugh but OMG that was funny! The last thing I burnt that bad was my stove top steamer. Burnt it black and managed to flavor the steamed veggies with burnt taste too so even though they were not actually burnt, they sure did taste it!
And I havnt managed to preserve a thing this year so far

Where does the time go???
................................................................................................................................
Laugh and the world laughs with you, laugh hysterically, for no apparent reason, and they'll leave you alone!
The Gods answer all our prayers. Unfortunately, sometimes, the answer is no!
"When in doubt, choose to live!"
GB- Homemade Moderator
- Posts : 3228
Join date : 2009-11-14
Location : Cumbria
Re: What are you preserving today?
Oh no! It reminds me of the very first time I made jam - 1lb plums, 1lb sugar. How do I know when it's ready, I asked my mum. Well, she said, you can tell when it boils - it looks like jam. I boiled and boiled it, patiently. Didn't really know but thought it must be about done, and put it in a jar. 1lb plums and 1lb sugar fitted in a 1lb jar - when it was cool, I bent the knife trying to get it out the pot!Dandelion wrote:This is what I am not preserving - a neighbour gave me a bag of small plums. I prepared them, and put them in a pan with a little water and sugar on a low gas while University Challenge was starting. I didn't bother to put the timer on (big mistake), thinking I would smell them cooking and remember to turn them off.
I didn't even smell them burning...
The pan took 24 hours soaking and scrubbing to get clean again. I was cross with myself for wasting plums, sugar and gas - I'll time them next time!!
By the way, Dandelion, unless your pans are aluminium, boiling up water with plenty of bicarbonate of soda helps enormously for badly burned pans. Then leave it to soak and cool - the longer the better. It's better on things that have had fat in, but does work on burnt sugar too. It just takes a bit more perseverance.
freebird- Posts : 2110
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 64
Location : Powys
Re: What are you preserving today?
freebird wrote:
Oh no! It reminds me of the very first time I made jam - 1lb plums, 1lb sugar. How do I know when it's ready, I asked my mum. Well, she said, you can tell when it boils - it looks like jam. I boiled and boiled it, patiently. Didn't really know but thought it must be about done, and put it in a jar. 1lb plums and 1lb sugar fitted in a 1lb jar - when it was cool, I bent the knife trying to get it out the pot!
By the way, Dandelion, unless your pans are aluminium, boiling up water with plenty of bicarbonate of soda helps enormously for badly burned pans. Then leave it to soak and cool - the longer the better. It's better on things that have had fat in, but does work on burnt sugar too. It just takes a bit more perseverance.
It always makes you feel better when you know that other people have done similar things!
I soaked the pan with biological washing liquid overnight, which made no difference at all. I then soaked it with biological washing powder, which did the job nicely. Maybe there is bi carb in the washing powder? Will try that next time...
................................................................................................................................
The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly in the air like birds and swim in the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers and sisters.
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5199
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 64
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: What are you preserving today?
Grapes, aka homemade raisins (or are they sultanas?). Matters not. They are utterly and absolutely delicious. Why the bother? I always used to buy large raisins for my Christmas cake. Don't know what sort they were, but they were gorgeous - tasted almost of elderflower. Can't get them anywhere. So when I saw some large seeded grapes in the market (the sort that taste of elderflower), decided to have a go at making my own. Fiddly getting the seeds out, and so far they've taken 35 hours in the dehydrator. In terms of cost, probably not worth it, but for something special they really are sooo gooood. Looking forward to making the cake next week.
freebird- Posts : 2110
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 64
Location : Powys
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