I Wanna Jam it Wid You

It is that time of year again already.  I love it.  This year so far I have made:

Three Jars of Apricot Jam.  This is my first time making Apricot Jam.  I no longer weigh or measure anything when I make preserves.  I had a lovely large punnet of fresh apricots and realised in this weather we were never going to eat them before the humid weather got to them.  I chopped and de-stoned the apricots.  I covered the bottom of the pan with water and stewed the fruit until it was soft.  Then I added the same amount of sugar as there was fruit and boiled it all up 'until' it looked right!  I do a spoon test, where I twizzle the spoon and let the jam drip off.  If the jam forms a globule before it drops then I think the set will be good.   This Apricot Jam is delicious and has a good set.  With some freshly made bread it is deliciously naughty!

Then I made two jars of Strawberry Jam for the same reason, fruit does not like to keep in this humid weather and it is sad to see it go in the compost bin.  I used the same method and made some delicious 'Strawberry Sauce'!  Doh it did not quite set, I think I may have over boiled it.  I always use up Jammy mistakes somehow.
                I have had my 8yr old assistant in the kitchen this afternoon helping me to prepare a 'Roast Chicken Dinner'.  He has chopped carrots, potatoes, swede and cabbage.  He still has all of his fingers.  He also made 'stuffing balls'.  It is hard to leave them to it and not but in and get critical, we all have to learn somewhere.  We had a bit of a disagreement over the size of golf balls!  Stuffing balls the size of tennis balls are a bit hefty!  He had great fun and was very well behaved and on task.  He really enjoys cooking and food prep and thinks we should go in to business and sell our wares on the front garden to hungry passers by.  I said 'we could go into business when you are a man and you can employ me'.  He wants to start now!  Euan thinks the 'Strawberry Jam/ sauce is delicious.  He said it would be great on ice-cream.  He seemed to be enjoying it by the spoonful.  We mixed it with fresh, quartered strawberries and have topped it with a crumble topping.  It is rather experimental.  It is all cooking in the oven at the moment and it does smell rather good.  I wish my assistant was this enthusiastic more often.  My partner is a good cook, but he doesn't cook very often and Henry reaches his limit with a toasted sandwich or a Pot Noodle.
                 I could be sabotaging the Weight Watchers regime with all this Summer Jammin!  I better get a grip and cycle it off!  xxx

Blackberry, Apple and Cinnamon Chutney

Move over Cranberry Sauce and Make way for Blackberry, Apple and Cinnamon Chutney.  Today I read a post over at A Trifle Rushed, where there has been a bit of a pickle.  I read this post  and knew I had all of the ingredients for this delicious Autumnal Chutney Recipe.  I only have a few apples left on my little tree now and the blackberries are all finished.  It is a shame to grow your own fruit and vegetables and let them go to waste so jam, pickles and chutneys are the order of the day.  I made six jars of chutney.   The smell was delicious as it bubbled away.  It will be matured nicely ready for Christmas.  I have never used blackberries in Chutney before, the flavour with the apple and cinnamon is something else.  It also has a wonderful colour too.  I think it will be the perfect accompaniment to cheese and cold meats, I also think it would be deliciously fruity with Turkey, Goose or Duck.  I need some labels for this years preserves and they also need cute 'Mob Cap' lid covers.  I think they will make great Christmas Gifts especially with  Homemade Blackberry Brandy I have stashed away.

Pear and Vanilla Butter

I have always enjoyed making Jams, jellies and preserves of all kinds.  Using the internet gives you such  wide access to many recipes.  Last year I discovered 'Apple Butter' that can be made in the 'slowpot', 'Crockpot'.  My neighbour gave me a large bag of apples and they needed preserving.  The Apple Butter made the house smell fantastic as it slowly cooked away, spiced with cinnamon.  This week I had a punnet of pears, they quickly turned too soft for school lunches.  I am trying hard to be thrifty and did not want to throw them away.  So I made 'Pear and Vanilla Butter'.  I am very pleased with the result, it tastes delicious.  I made it in the 'slowpot'.  I peeled all of the pears and put them in the pot on the high setting, without any liquid.  I added roughly the same volume of sugar to pear.  Then I added a couple of splashes of 'real' vanilla essence.  I cooked it on high for approximately 3 hours and then propped the lid for a further 2 hours, until the mixture had reduced, thickened and reached a setting point .  The result was one jar of thick, sticky, Pear and Vanilla Butter and it has a lovely hint of toffee and caramel flavour.  I have had some good advice that it is delicious on 'Blue Cheese Scones'.  I feel another 'Scone' recipe coming on!