Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam

Pomona’s Pectin is an alternative to conventional pectin, which allows you to make jams with reduced, or no, sugar. Due to the very mild winter we have had this year, strawberries have come into season early and very sweet. What else could I do apart from make some jam? And as I have Pomona’s Pectin, [...]

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Seasonal eating – July / August

Apologies for missing out on the July seasonal eating post – I have been busy canning like a madman, because pretty much everything is in season! Broccoli Carrots Tomatoes Squash Onions Potatoes Cucumber Eggplant Beans Corn Peas Garlic Herbs Basil Cantaloupes Figs Peaches Muscadine Watermelon Honeydew What can you make with these ingredients? Pickled cucumbers, [...]

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Blueberry fruit butter

Fruit butters are extremely easy to make in your slow cooker and you can use any fruit to make a butter. Use this recipe and technique to design your own – substitute your favourite fruit for blueberries.   Blueberries – 5 pints / 10 cups / 2.25 litres / about 3.5 lbs / about 1.75 [...]

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Blueberry pie filling

Part 2 of my short series on blueberries – pie! 7 cups blueberries, washed and sorted 1 2/3 cups sugar 2/3 cup ClearJel 2tbsp lemon juice OPTIONAL 12 drops blue food colouring 4 drops red food colouring 1tsp grated lemon zest Prepare your jars and lids in the usual way. Half fill a large stainless [...]

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Blueberry Syrup

Blueberries are in season just now, so get out there and pick some yourself! Once you have a ridiculous amount of blueberries, what can you do with them? Well, I am here to help with a short series, starting with blueberry syrup. Prepare your jars and lids by thorough washing with soap and hot water. [...]

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Seasonal eating – June

As the temperature rises, so do your choices of fruit and veg. A good, but busy time of year! Beets – root and greens Broccoli Broccoli rabe Cauliflower Red Cabbage Chinese Cabbage Carrots Peas (various) Radishes Scallions / green onions / spring onions Tomatoes Summer squash Onions Potatoes Cucumber Corn Garlic herbs arugula / rocket [...]

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Seasonal eating – May

Finally, things are beginning to get better. More produce is appearing on the shelves, but not to the overwhelming levels we’ll have in a couple of months. Asparagus Beets: roots and greens Broccoli Broccoli Rabe Cauliflower (time to make piccalilli!) Cabbage: red, green, Chinese Carrots Peas (English, sugar, snap, snow) Radishes Spinach Turnip Onions Kale [...]

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Seasonal Eating – April

As we head out of the treacherous March weather, more crops are coming into season. This means that your free time is going to vanish at an alarming rate as you try to keep up with what produce starts appearing on the shelves! * New this month Asparagus * beets – roots and greens Green [...]

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Seasonal Eating – March

Continuing my ongoing series on eating and canning seasonally, what’s new for March? As the weather is still treacherous, only robust stuff is coming into season. Thankfully there’s more to choose from this month: * New this month *Asparagus Green Cabbage Fingerling carrots Peas Scallions / green / spring onions *Spinach Turnip Greens – turnip [...]

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Seasonal Eating – February

Here we are, in the spiteful last days of winter. Surely not much can be in season just now? Actually… no. Not much. February is pretty much the same as January, so pull up your stock pot, make a hug pot of stew or soup, and hide from the snow Print PDF

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