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.

Spring Cleaning

Well the snow has gone from round these parts and life is getting back to normal - or what passes for normal anyway. We're busy, busy, busy with our two great offers on jars to help you through the marmalade season cos' if you're anything like me, you always buy more oranges than you planned. Don't forget that they freeze well so you could spread out the making a bit.

May and I are going to be making mustard this week so we hope to bring you a new method pdf and YouTube slideshow - it really is ridiculously easy to make, and a jar of home-made wholegrain mustard makes a great present, especially if you team it with a bottle of flavoured oil -chilli or herb maybe. Great. I won a Great Tastes Gold award for my mustard the very first year I started making it, so it can't be that tricky!

It is also a good time to be making things like that whilst we wait for the first rhubarb and the early gooseberries. Or think about sorting out the freezer - all those odd bags of left-over fruit or veg could cook up into some tasty chutneys or relishes, making valuable space for the coming year's crops - or the seville oranges!

Don't forget the Marmalade Festival - you can all enter even if you can't visit the Festival and all of the proceeds go to the local Hospice.

Marmalade Method on YouTube - whatever next?

Check out the marmalade recipe and instructions on YouTube - and when you've seen how easy it is go to the website where there are some great bargains to help you make the most of your new-found knowledge.

Sale Page

Getting a bit fed up with the white stuff now - it makes everything so much harder PLUS there are no Seville oranges around for the marmalade! Well, not in my neck of the woods anyway. It's hard enough buying everyday food without searching for the elusive oranges as well. So many people have had it much worse than us - we have got off fairly lightly in comparison but there is still more forecast for tomorrow and Thursday. Oh joy. I am spending the time when I should be cooking working on some other ideas for you - more on this later when I have got something in place for you to look at and consider. In the meantime, we have grouped together all of the items on special offer on a Sale page on the website so that you can easily spot the bargains - hope it helps. Oh, and we have some new paper jar tops as well if you want to pretty up some recycled jar lids, more designs coming soon. Keep warm, keep safe.

It's marmalade time!

Happy New Year to everyone - hope it was all good for you.



We managed a few days off and had a happy time with our families and new grandchildren -magical to experience Christmas through the eyes of children who are seeing new things for the first time.

We spent a warm and fun New Year's Eve with friends from the village, travelling from house to house until we brought in the New Year with fizz and fireworks. Now we are turning our thoughts to the first preserves of 2010. Marmalade. If you have never made marmalade before do have a go. It seems time consuming and complicated but if you follow our instructions on the website you will soon find yourself hooked - and I promise that you will never want to eat shop-bought marmalade again.

To help things along we have two great offers for you - 24, yes 24 16oz jam jars with our brand new exclusive red spotty lids for just £9.95 - are we mad? You can buy as many packs as you like, there's no limit. Also, pick up some packs of our retro orange and lemon labels, each with a FREE square of muslin PLUS instructions for tying a muslin bag from the square. All for just £3.95.

The labels have been designed for Jam Jar Shop by talented artist Marek Jagucki and they will not be available from any other source. Marek designed our Christmas labels and we are now extending this range of retro style labels throughout the year so if you have any special requests then send us an email. We are very happy to respond to ideas and to make Jam Jar Shop what you would like it to be.

Our vision is for the website - and indeed the business - to become a community. There is so much to explore and to present to you but there seems to be so little time! We are going to be looking for some more help in the Spring but that all takes time as well! Interviewing, selecting, waiting for notice periods to be worked, training - all the while hoping you have chosen the right person plus trying to keep on top of all of the other work. Ours staff all work very hard and they deserve more help so we will have to find the time to attend to it somehow.


Finally, if you feel you would like a little more practical help check out our range of classes on the website. A great day out - why not make up a group of your friends and come along together to a workshop. Contact Lynne for more details and to discuss requirements.


Happy New Jam Making Year!