The Poultry Keeper

Clucky · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 2187 Location: Shropshire

Please can we have recipes for the berries and hips etc out there in the fields, or any fruit or berry Smile

Sadly though we are not lovers of brandy so anything else goes Smile

nigel · Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:37 am Post subject:

Downsizer.net have a fantastic article here on using wild fruits. A quick search of the forum will reveal loads of other recipes for wines, liqueurs, jellies, jams etc. as well.

Clucky · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 2187 Location: Shropshire

Ah but they're so much more interesting when you post them Nigel Wink

Thanks....I'lll take a gander

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1443 Location: Leicestershire

In the past I've made Rosehip Syrup, bit fiddly but quite nice in the end, absolute b*****ds to pick as you rip your hands to pieces. Elderberry & Crab Apple Jelly & Sloe & Crab Apple Jelly both nice - again fiddly as all jellies are. Hawthorne and Rowan Jelly I found to be a bit not worth the effort.
There are lots of Crab Apples this year - well lots of everything really which is I suppose why you're asking. So Blackberry & Crab Apple jelly, Blackberry Vinegar. Sloe Gin makes a great Christmas present for all those people you can't think what to get - well any of the above jellies too. I'm busy making chutneys at the moment as I've been given a load of veggies - yummy. Very Happy

Itsybitsy

mojo · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 10:59 am Post subject:

lots of ideas in RECIPES

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1443 Location: Leicestershire

Been trying to get this on since Wednesday, but had trouble posting, hope this works Smile

Any Fruit Jelly

Equal quantities of your chosen fruit (- blackberries, elderberries etc,) and crab apples, wash said fruit & remove stalks, put in a pan and cover with water, cook until the apples are a mush, leave to cool, put contents into a jelly bag and hang up somewhere, if you don't have a jelly bag or one big enough use a clean (no holes) pillowcase, turned inside out, tie the top with string & hang somewhere for about 24 hours. If you want a clear jelly DON'T touch the bag, if you don't mind it cloudy - give it a squeeze to help get the juice out. If you were making sloe jelly then it's cloudy anyway, plain crab apple looks beautiful if it's clear, elderberry & blackberry I can go either way with, depends on the quantities of fruit about because jelly making is wasteful, but this year there's loads so we can all afford to make crystal clear jellies.

Anyway, measure the juice and add somewhere in the region of 1lb of sugar per pint of juice, I say somewhere in the region of because if you've used blackberries which are quite sweet then you won't need as much sugar as if you've made plain crab apple, either way you don't really want less than 12oz sugar per pint because the keeping qualities may be compromised (- it could either ferment or go moldy). Slowly heat the juice & sugar, stirring constantly till the sugar is dissolved - if you boil before the sugar has dissolved then it never will and you'll have sugar crystals in it. Bring to a fast rolling boil & skim the scum off regularly, boil till setting point is reached (- if anybody out there doesn't know about setting point please ask) Pot in clean warm jars.

As I have said before on another post, modern jam jars will reseal if the contents are hot enough when the lid goes on, so providing you've enough jam jars and lids there's no need anymore to faff around with wax disks and cellophane covers which the jam only evaporates from anyway. If you get a good seal and the lid "pops" then the contents will keep for years.

I'll do something else another time providing you've not all gone to sleep.

Itsybitsy Wink

mojo · Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:27 am Post subject:

a trick to disperse scum is to add teaspoon of butter...p.s. dont forget to put a big enough bowl under jelly bag!!!!!

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1443 Location: Leicestershire

I used to do the butter thing, but found as you said - it disperses it (back through the mix), much better to let it rise and skim it off, and you're quite right about the big enough bowl. Laughing

Been there, done that, scooped the juice off the worktop Laughing

Picked a load of Damsons this afternoon - there is just loads of everything about.

Itsybitsy Wink