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Yesterday it was time to strain the Damson Gin that has been soaking away for the past few weeks. The heady almost liqueur like smell was wonderful as I tipped the contents of the container through the sieve.
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Looking at the soft fruits swollen with gin, I decided it would have been a crime of the most serious nature to just throw them away, so rummaging about in the store cupboard I unearthed a bag of Preserving Sugar and set too making some alcoholic jam.
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Lining up the three bowls, the one containing the Damsons in the centre and one on the left for the stones and one on the right for the fruit I spent an intoxicating hour squeezing the fruits to extract the stones. My fingers turned purple and the two outer bowls filled slowly but surely, a lovely way to spend a bit of time with the frost laying heavy on the ground outdoors.
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The fruit was put in a pan with the sugar and a squeeze of lemon and left to boil away for a good ten minutes and then I looked at the stones, how could I waste them, knowing that the Kune Kunes loved crunching them SO much. So they were mixed with a carton of yogurt and added to the the Kunes evening meal. Three little piggies went to bed VERY happy last night...
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...and we had very alcoholic jam on our toast for supper ....hic!!~
Well that worked a treat, and lovely to know that nothing was wasted, something I'll repeat for sure. Six jars of jam and four bottles of Damson Gin for Christmas (and happy piggies too!).
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It also gave me the idea for our New Year Challenge......and you know how much I love a challenge!! The year 2011 is going to be our Waste not Want not Year. A year of living frugally....but well.
Such a great idea, Sue! Waste is really hard isn't it? We're pretty good at not wasting any food, but I also hate all the other day to day stuff that goes in the bin / recycling box...
ReplyDeleteYou'll be glad to know I'll not be frosting your car for a while! Our extreme frost of the last few days has gently melted and we've even got some blue sky :-)
Denise x
Is this challenge for you alone or are you going to get others to join you?
ReplyDeleteJane x
Wow, I'm impressed, and I bet that jam tastes lovely.
ReplyDeletethat all sounds rather delicious Sue! I'll be round with a nice crusty bagette and a glass!
ReplyDeleteDo you think you could do the same with the sloes? I have a couple of jars steeping at present but thought they were supposed to be rather bitter, I don't know? Having said that, I've never made jam before either!
take care and keep warm
Sarah x
I'm with you all the way Denise, I HATE waste! That we have no rubbish collection is quite good for us really, everything gets re-used or re-cycled and as a last resort burnt, at least that keeps us warm.
ReplyDeleteJane and Chris, the Challenge was just for myself really, but anyone is more than welcome to join in, we could have a list on the sidebar in the New Year perhaps.
Yes Jan, the jam is LOVELY and still has a faint alcoholic tang...hic!!
I'd give it a try with the sloes Sarah, I think experimentation is the way forward!!
Sue xx
Hi thats s great way to use them up..i bet that jam is a real pick me up first thing in the morning..i hate wasting food and things too..it really gets my goat to see what other folks throw away..if you did a challenge i would gladly give it a go...1st day of 2011..to start then?
ReplyDeletesara,fern,iris
Love your New Year Challenge Sue. We're going to reduce our supermarket budget to 100€/month during the course of 2011. So I'll be here all year plundering your blog for tips!
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased that someone pinned this post to Pinterest - I made my second batch ever of Damson Gin, having fallen in love with it thanks to my late Nana-in-Law, yesterday and was thinking what a crying shame it is that I chucked the damsons last year. So, I will be having a go at Damson Gin Jam in a few weeks!! Very excited! Thank you.
ReplyDelete