The fruit in question was a mixture of bags of frozen berries and the last of my blackberries from the chest freezer.
The first batch was turned into jam, a very nice 8 jars of not too firm a set. I had to scrape round the maslin pan for a taster.
The rest I cooked and strained overnight for jelly, I had to pick out the strawberries as they do not agree with Michael.
No waste, I cooked them with a little sugar and made a lumpy sauce to pour over porrage. Frozen in small blocks they will liven up my breakfasts till my strawberries are ready.
The pulp left in the jelly bag was pushed through a sieve, weighed and matched with sugar, and a good squeeze of lemon juice, and cooked till really gloopy. A bit like chutney. Into jars and sealed. I first read about this on Frugal in Norfolks blog several years ago and have done it ever since.
As it is a glorious morning I threw another load into the washing machine, I had one on timer overnight, and that is all pegged out.
To complete my session as wannabe domestic goddess I cleaned the oven!!!! At 7 30 am? It was a bit smokey when the jars were sterilising so I felt compelled.
Now I feel smug.
The dogs have had their long walk, the kitchen is back to rights and the jelly bag is soaking. I think I need to make a new one as it is getting on a bit.
I have a tin of jack fruit to try and I know that it is promoted as a vegan pulled pork but I am going to try to replicate Kung Po. I have a selection of Asian spices and they haven't been touched for a few weeks.
Told you it was fruity.
On the same theme, my fruit bowl has a plethora of citrus fruits. I will be making some more mixed up marmalade. However I am going to put it all through the mincer, with a coarse disc in. I was friendly many years ago with a family who always minced the fruit for marmalade. They did make well over 100 jars each year so slicing would have taken forever.
I use marmalade in various cakes and puddings and I hope that this will go smoothly into the mixture.
Note that I haven't mentioned the garden. That's because pegging out is as far as I have been. I want to sweep and wash the kitchen floor and whizz round the bathroom first.
I need to find a new tin to keep my seed packets in, my old faithfull has more dents than a banger car and the lid no longer stays on. I looked online for a tin of biscuits ( that would make the tin free, right. Or the biscuits) Duh, they are either tiny little things or such fancy shapes that render them useless for my needs.
The so called Seed Tins are on the small side or are an horrendous price, not made for real gardeners at all. I would not spend the equivalent of my weekly food budget on a tin and trail it round the garden, leave in the greenhouse or shed etc. Mind you I have no intention of buying one, can not justify the cost. I do have a fairly sturdy cardboard box and thought of lining it with thick aluminium foil, hmm the outside would get damp and soggy.
Then I wondered if a coat of some sort of paint might do it, hmm that would mean buying paint.
Wood, handmade, by Michael from scrap wood.
Michael is building a shed/summerhouse/storage for a neighbour. Observing all the social distancing regs.
There is bound to be a raft of offcuts.
He shares my belief that nothing should be wasted,
Especially wood.
He built a large deck for friends a few years ago and they have an array of planters made from the offcuts.
This time no planters are required so I will beg the offcuts and barter, maybe with preserves as they always have a jar or 2 from every batch that I make, or ask what they would like.
I am happy to wait, there is no hurry I will not be buying more seeds yet. Thinking further ahead I intend to start growing some perennial veg this autumn so the seed box will not need to be quite as large as I first imagined. Act in haste and repent at leisure, that's Granny again.
Now I need to act on the remainder of my chores so I can get outside asap.
Stay safe.
TTFN Pam
Sounds like a plan to have a wooden one made. You are putting me to shame the amount of jobs you have got done in just a few hours. My oven is in dire need of a good clean, its on the list TO DO...there is always tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deletemmm, answered this but it vanished, second go. The wooden box has been promised within the next few weeks, apparently hinges and clasp have to be sourced. My jobs were all planned and everything was ready to go once a cuppa was made.
DeletePlease let us know how the jack fruit Kung Po turns out.
ReplyDeleteIt was fine, the jackfruit shredded up quite finely and the texture was good. The "flesh" was pretty tasteless to me and Michael agreed. I will not be buying it again as it just wasn't to our taste.
DeleteJust reading this has left me exhausted. I hope you can fit a rest in today.
ReplyDeleteI had several little breathers, I am learning to pace myself.
DeleteYou are a busy bee.
ReplyDelete