Tuesday 9th July 2019.
A Jar of Garnets.
1785. Napoleon offers a generous reward to any man who can invent a way of preserving large quantities of food for his soldiers. Along comes Nicholas Appert who discoverers that boiling fruits at high temperatures, then sealing them in airtight jars keeps it edible for months on end. Fast forward two centuries and the art of preserving and pickling has become a much loved past time. With so many fine quality spreads available in shops nowadays, the craft is enjoyed more for it’s therapeutic qualities (sterilising, stoning, chopping, boiling, sealing and dating) than its old-fashioned, practical purpose of conserving our favourite seasonal produce, so we can enjoy them all year round. The cherry tree seems to have loved the unpredictable weather we’ve had this year. It’s awash with plump ruby fruits and emerald green foliage right now. I’ve never seen it look healthier. Mother Nature is producing fruit quicker than I can consume it, so like Nicholas Appert in 1785, I’ve come up with this recipe to give me delicious homemade jam for the whole year.
Ingredients:
- 400g pitted cherries
- 200g jam sugar
- 1tsp French almond extract
Method
1. Wash, and pit your cherries. You want them very dark and very ripe to extract as much juice as possible. This is not the place for tight, crisp skins like the ones that are good to snack on. Place your stoned cherries in a large, stainless steel pan.
2. Add the sugar and give it you a good mix.
3. Place the pan on the hob over a medium heat and bring to a rolling boil. Once it’s reached this point, turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer for 20-25 minutes or the mixture is thick and shiny. To test if the jam is ready, take a tea spoon full, place on a saucer and pop in the freezer for one minute. Remove and run your spoon through the mixture. If it wrinkles then it’s ready.
4. Remove from the heat, add the almond extract and give it a good stir.
5. Ladle the hot jam into a sterilised jar. Seal, then date it. Once cooled, place in a cool, dark place away from natural light. Unopened, it will keep for 6 months. Once opened, consume within two weeks.
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