Strawberry Jam

As many of you know - because you came to say 'hello' - we have just come back from the BBC Good Food Show, which was great fun, exhausting, and very, very busy. When Trev and I finally got home I thought our chicken run looked kind of different and it turned out that they had escaped from the back garden that day and made off down the lane! Both of our near neighbours had been out all afternoon trying to round them up, but unfortunately, as you fellow chicken owners will know, the more you chase them the more they run. There is only three of them but it took some time to get them back behind the fence. I had to take peace offerings of a basket of eggs to each neighbour - they actually thought it very funny - and The Chix had to perch on the naughty step.

Just all part of the Jam Jar Shop fun.

Lots of you loved the extended range of red spot lids, now available in most jar lid sizes and showcased at the NEC. They look great on the sauce bottles especially, and the smallest 45ml jars. We also had the new Kilner maslin pan at a great show offer and sold out on the first day! We have more coming in at the end of this week and at the beginning of July so don't worry if you missed out before.

There's lots of fruit coming along now - we ordered the first of the season's blackcurrants today so my favourite jam will soon be underway! We have already made large batches of strawberry jam and the raspberries will be next. There is a great recipe for a classic strawberry jam on our website so why not make some while the fruit is at its best and not too expensive. I love this time of year as there is an absolute abundance of produce and you can be making something different every day.

We are busy now moving warehouses over the next two weeks so the work load will be heavier but all the lads are coming in at the weekends to make sure we get it done without disrupting the orders. So, business as usual!

New Year Resolutions

I can't believe it's 2011 already! where did 2010 go? well another busy year ahead and with lots of bumper harvest's I hope.

If like many of us, you've already had your maslin pan out and made your seville orange marmalade, filling your kitchen with those amazing citrus vapours and stocking up your cupboards for the year ahead, then you'll probably already be looking forward to summers soft fruit season so don't forget to take advantage of the more sleepy (in terms of preserving terms) spring months and take the opportunity to re-stock your preserving equipment, not forgetting your jars, bottles and lids so that you will be ready for what the summer months will bring.
If last year was anything to go by, we'll all be pretty busy with damsons and apples again, which would be nice. My plum tree does something different every year but last year, the plums it produced were enormous so here's hoping it'll surpass itself this year.

Anyway, back to January and February................well, here at Jam Jar Shop, we're looking forward to taking part in The World's Original Marmalade Awards again this year on 12th and 13th of February. March is Country Living Fair and lots more to come so we'll keep you posted.

Happy Marmalade making and if any of you are stuck on what to do, Rosie has a marmalade making video on the Jam Jar Shop website.

Spot the Difference!

Our custom designed lids will be here from Italy in the morning! Exclusive to Jam Jar Shop they are red with white spots and in the most popular size to fit a range of our jars. You will be able to order them at no extra cost - how good is that! It will take us a couple of days to get them onto the website but check back soon and you will be able to be the first in country - no, the WORLD - to be able to buy these lids.

Spots before your eyes

They'll soon be here. Friday. What will you use yours for? They're fun, they're unique, they're only at Jam Jar Shop.