I made a double recipe batch of Compost Heap Jelly following Pam Corbin's recipe the other day. I mentioned it in an earlier post. When it came round to labelling I didn't label it as such because actually the ingredients were never destined for the compost heap this time, they were just good windfalls and a bag of frozen lemon slices that I unearthed from the bottom of the freezer. I had no idea how old they were but they were starting to dry out and needing using up.
This is a common sight in the kitchen at the moment, jam pan and sugar both warming on top of the Aga ready for jam or jelly making later on in the day.
Here's the recipe if you want to have a go, it literally can be made with all the trimmings, peelings, cores and fruity bits that are usually destined for the compost bin after a jam, marmalade or jelly making session ... and it tastes delicious :-)
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Another regular sight in the kitchen ... we have something dripping through the jelly bags most nights, sometimes it is for jellies and sometimes for Lovely Hubby's wine making obsession.
It's all a good way to preserve the goodness of all our fruits for use over Winter ... although I must say it's not fair that we have to wait so long to sample the wines and cider ;-)
Sue xx
Our kitchen is the same - beer, baking, jam & wine always on the go. Last years blackberry & elderberry wines are just drinking, this years rhubarb & strawberry wines will be ready soon and the apples will be picked for apple wine this week. I've got a huge bag of rhubarb to make into rhubarb & ginger jam, tons of rasps in the freezer for jelly, plus windfall apples & blackberries for bramble jelly.
ReplyDeleteOooh this looks gorgeous Sue. During our southern hemisphere Autumn (March April) I make apple mint jelly from the apple cores and mint, but I'm going to try making some of it with lemon next time.
ReplyDeleteI'm visiting the UK from New Zealand, and saw something we certainly don't get at home - this amazing jam pot with built in heating element, fully programmable !!! I hate to think what the price of it would be, but it would certainly make life easier... But take away much of the sense of being connected to countless generations of women doing the very same thing in late summer. What do you think? Would you have one it it appeared "free" in your kitchen?
ReplyDeleteMost definitely, my Aga loses a lot of heat when I'm making jam, meaning I can only make one batch a day. One of these jam makers would solve that problem 😊
DeleteI once tried crab apple jelly - we always have masses of crab apples - but although I followed the recipe implicitly it did not keep well and I ended up throwing a lot of it away. I haven't tried since.
ReplyDeleteI too have made this fantastic jelly. It is a wonderful way to use all the peelings from chutney. It is a great addition to stews and gravy giving a lovely tangy taste. I use the River Cottage book regularly creating some delicious jams and chutneys. I have been able to raise £2000 by selling the results for local charity.
ReplyDeleteMy current Compost jelly is almost like a lemon marmalade, but a jelly of course. I made it using lemon peels leftover after making lemonade, added in some apple cores and a couple of pears that were a bit past it and no-one was interested in eating. It tastes great.
ReplyDeleteI must say I just found your blog, and I'm quite enjoying it.
Cassandra xx