Looking forward

Well, May and Samm have nearly finished a marathon marmalade make, just a last few speciality flavours to complete. The Seville orange season was quite short this year and for the first time, we have frozen a few whole just in case we get an order for something we have run out of. We haven't frozen the whole fruit before, but know people do, so we shall see what happens. We are off to the Marmalade Festival next week, we have sent our entries off and we shall be having a stand there, so come along and see us if you can. We would love to meet you and we'll have a few show offers as well.

I devised a recipe for Seville Orange and Cracked Black Pepper Jelly this year which was both stunning to look at and has the most amazing flavour. It is equally good with duck or an oily fish like mackerel. Try making up your own recipes sometimes - what's the worst that can happen?

We're busy stocking up on things like Rosie's Extra Special Brown Sauce and our own recipe Barbeque Sauce , then we'll be making Lemon Cordial and all things lemony. Use this time of the year to make those kinds of things which aren't quite so seasonal to leave time later when there is a glut to deal with. We are impatiently waiting for the rhubarb to start - there is some lovely delicate forced fruit about but that isn't really suitable for preserving - it's too expensive. Wait for the maincrop then make some gorgeous chutneys, sauces and jams.

Lots to do, lots to do. If you haven't seen our new Artisan range take a look here. Great prices, as ever, larger quantities for the home producer, plus sturdy storage boxes to make transportation easier. We have the pressure bottles back in as well, again, a great price - we always try to be value for money.

We have some great ideas in the pipeline, the best way to hear about them is to subscribe to our newsletter - no obligation - no tricks - no charge -but you will hear there first about any new offers or discount codes.

Happy preserving!

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.

Spicy cranberry chutney

So....... if you like your cranberry sauce at Christmas, what about straying slightly from the traditional and giving a spicy cranberry chutney a go this year? it's ready to eat in 1 hrs 20 mins and is delicious!

What you will need:
8oz cranberries, 2 tomatoes - blanched peeled and chopped, 2oz sultanas, 1/2 small chopped onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 8oz dark brown soft sugar, 4fl oz cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 6 fl oz water.

What you will need to do:
In a maslin pan or large saucepan, combine cranberries, water, sultanas, tomatoes, onion and salt. bring to the boil. Simmer covered for 15 mins (or until the cranberries pop).
Next, stir in the other ingredients. cover and simmer for 35-40 mins, (or until it has a chutney consistency) give the occasional stir. once ready, ladel into jars and let cool before use.

if you try this recipe out, give us a post on facebook with your taste results!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Jam-Jar-Shop/130417870323888

Jammy results!

Well, the WI real Jam Festival was a lovely event to be involved with and it was very pleasing on the eye seeing the competition display room a wash with red and white spotty lids!
There were several familiar names on some of the entry's, particularly those of Guild members.
Speaking to one particular member after the results were in, who couldn't be present on the day unfortunately but was very happy with a result of 19.5 out of 20 in the class 2, soft fruit category, coming second to Best in Show, Rosemary Green. Well done Bridget.
There was also an entry from Kelvin Mackenzie, former Sun editor who went on to win class 6, 'jam in the public eye' competition.
It was great to see so many enthusiastic visitors including a young man who is a very keen jam and preserve maker, so much so that he's set up a Jam Club, 'an excuse to sit around drinking tea and eating what we've made' he says, sounds good to me!
A short video of the festival can be seen at http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/whats-in-a-jam

Watch out for the next blog on 'what do you do with yours'!

Shame on you Boots

Needless to say, I don't like the new Boots ad suggesting that a jam making kit and course is a boring present compared to some of their products so I have written to their press office, copied below.

"I want to register with you my opinion of the new series of ads, in particular the one featuring the jam making kit and course.

Whilst I have a sense of humour and 'get' the point of this series , nevertheless you clearly have no idea that jam making is the new 'cool' thing, especially amongst the younger age groups. There has been a huge explosion of interest in the last 18 months, a natural progression from the popularity in cooking generally and the enormous demand for allotments.

I feel that we have the last laugh, however, as you have probably alienated more people by this cheap jibe at what you portray to be a middle aged, boring demographic. As the foremost retailer of jam jars and jam making equipment in the UK, we are well placed to know and understand the market and if the position were reversed and we were advertising our products against yours in a similar way, I am certain that you would have plenty to say about it.

Rosemary Jameson
Director, Jam Jar Shop "

If you have an opinion then write to them too at bootspressoffice@lexispr.com

Pumpkin Chutney recipe

Well, halloween's over and there are still lots of pumpkins around so what to do with them I hear you say! How about giving pumpkin chutney a try?
What you will need:
2lbs (900g) of pumpkin, peeled and chopped
1 lb (450g) tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint (570ml) white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons white peppercorns
1 lb (450g) onion, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 lbs (675g) brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons of black peppercorns

So once you have everything you need and have done your chopping, put the pumpkin in a pan and cover with the vinegar then add the onion, tomatoes and garlic.
Crush the peppercorns and spices together and add to the pan, give it all a good stir and leave it for an hour.
Once the hour is up, add the sugar salt and ginger and slowly bring to the boil.
Simmer for about 45 minutes, giving the occassional stir and keep an eye on the consistency as you don't want a jam like consistency.
Once simmering has finished, allow to cool then add to your sterilised jars ( we recommend a glass preserving jar) http://www.jamjarshop.com/shop/department.asp?catid=9 then store for Christmas and enjoy with cheese and cold meet.

There are variations on the pumpkin chutney recipe including, sweet, pumpkin and apple or spicey, all worth a try.

Jam Demo at St Katherine's School, Pill

It's always great to find children and young people enjoying fruit and vegetable's both growing and eating and especially interesting to be asked to contribute to a Food Festival Week at St Katherine's School in Pill at the begining of October.

St Katherine's is a Food For Life flagship School and achieved the prestigous Gold Award, presented to them last December by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

As part of their Food For Life initiative, they hold a Food Festival every year and this year we were asked to come along and demo jam making for the children. As expected, it was hectic but fun and all the children engaged and had lots of questions. They loved tasting the jam and they had plenty of goodies to take away with them.

We're working towards becoming more involved with schools, running demo's and classes and also talking to pupils and teachers about SwapCrop and how they can get involved. We've also been asked to return to St Katherine's next year once their new Hospitality and Catering building is ready for use.