Saturday 29 June 2013

Preserving...

There is something rather lovely about eating things 'out of season'. No, I don't mean summer food in winter and visa versa. I mean the kind of things that grow in one season and are eaten the next. Now we all know that can of course apply to dried, frozen and canned food so what on earth am I talking about?

Essence of summer!

There are only few things that retain their summer smells well. Elderflower's are one such lovely gift. Elderflower cordial, champagne, cake, sugar and new to me this year, Elderflower and Vanilla Jelly.
Here is the strained liquid from yesterday, coming to a simmer with 1 vanilla pod and its seeds scraped out.
I don't normally use sugar with pectin in it so had to buy some pectin, here waiting with the sugar to go in the pan.
An awful lot of scum seems to be forming (and I reckon it was the scum that stole all my vanilla seeds!)
Finished product - however - some fine grains of pectin are present. Whether this will have an adverse effect on long term storage I don't know but all the lids have now popped to show they have sealed.

There was just a couple of tablespoons left which we had on crumpets after lunch. It has an aromatic  Elderflower taste but somehow mingled with a Turkish delight flavour....

Remember the chive vinegar I was making - well here it is in all its glory, 1 litre of chive flavoured pinky-purple madness.



13 comments:

  1. Ha you look like an Apothecary shop, Dc! Beautiful colours, and that jelly looks sublime.

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    1. It does rather look like an Apothecary doesn't it.

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  2. All looks lovely :) I have never tried elderflower jelly. The elderbushes are blooming now in my garden and I am waiting for a sunny day (hopefully very soon) to pick flowers for cordial. I might try making jelly too.
    Love the colour of the chives vinegar!

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    1. The taste of both the above is lovely, I'd certainly recommend them. I freeze my cordial, that way, I can have it when we want.

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  3. Last year my Dad came across my chive vinegar and was convinced it was Meths. He gave me a row about leaving it within reach of the toddler LOL. My batch for this year is brewing - which is brilliant because last year's was a hit in salad dressings and rice salads.

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    1. The rubber seal on my jar looked like it had reacted which was why I decanted a little earlier than planned. However, once washed, the seal looked fine. It was covered in white crystalline stuff, rather like lime scale!

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    2. Hi,

      Do you a canner like Elaine above? I'd love to give it a go but I am a bit naughty at buying kitchen gadgets which I don't use.

      Sarah x

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    3. Hi Sarah, no I don't. Have always made both sweet and savoury preserves the old fashioned way. I have never had any problems (so far...). Once things are opened I keep them in the fridge. I always fill hot stuff into hot jars and seal immediately. As long as the lids pop, that should be fine. If they don't I use them up as soon as possible. I have kept jam for 2 or 3 years or more, and it has still been okay, can't always same the same for commercial stuff people buy me.

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  4. Wish I could pop round for a taste! They sound lovely.

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  5. Dc...emergency comment! Can you see a "follow me with bloglovin" button on my blog? I signed up, I can apparently 'follow' other bloggers - I've just clicked on yours, but I can't see my 'button' and I don't see any evidence of the blogs I'm following. And as for following my entire bloglist with one click....how? I am one of the many who have come to grief over this darned thing, every step is like pulling teeth! But need to find if my button is visible to you lot, it certainly isn't to me!

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    1. Yes I can Lynne, I have answered more fully on your page.

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  6. I've never tasted Elderberry anything - although I think my dad used to make wine with it. It all sounds very tasty.
    Patricia x

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