[cheshirecheese]

I collected the last of the peaches from my peach tree this weekend and had wanted to bottle them.  However, having followed the instructions in the River Cottage Handbook to plunge into boiling water for one minute and then into iced water before peeling, although the skins came off easily there was a thin mushy layer to the peaches themselves which I presume was the result of the 60 seconds in boiling water.  I therefore had to abandon the bottling but couldn't find a recipe I liked for a chutney ... so I made one up and it seems to have worked!  

* I had a mango in the fridge which I added to the peaches, along with some gently fried, thinly sliced red onion and finely chopped garlic.
 
* I added some cumin powder, turmeric and chilli flakes to the onions and garlic and fried gently for about 30 seconds.  I also toasted and crushed some other spices (cardamom, mustard seed, allspice berries and a few cloves) which I then put into a spice bag suspended from the handle of the pot.
   
* I chucked in some golden sultanas and chopped dried apricots for good measure, and used cider vinegar and golden granulated sugar.
 
* I simmered the whole lot gently for about an hour until thickened to the right consistency, and then bottled it ... not sure if I can wait till Christmas to let it mature!

[Yorkie]

Sounds lovely 

How do you do a spice bag?

[mumofstig]

I take a small square of muslin and put my spices on it, and either tie up the four corners or  fold it into a sack shape and tie the neck with cotton

[Yorkie]

Ta MoS.  A few more Qs if poss: how small is 'small', doesn't the muslin fray, where do you get it from, and do you re-use?

[mumofstig]

at a guess, 5/6ins square..to give you enough fabric to knot/tie, and I haven't noticed them fray. I just wash them through and reuse 

This is the cheapest I can see

on e-bay

Otherwise, have you got an old cheesecloth shirt you can cut into pieces - waste not want not

[Yorkie]

Thanks Mum 

[cheshirecheese]

I got a length of muslin from John Lewis - it was very cheap.  I just put the spices I'm using into a square of it, tie it up with a piece of fine string and suspend it from the handle of the pot I'm making the chutney in.  I definitely think it makes a difference to the flavour if you toast and crush the spices first - I usually toast them whole, then tie them in the muslin square and bash the bag with the end of a rolling pin to release the oils.
 
If you want to reuse the squares, you can wash them through by hand and then sterilise them by dropping them into boiling water.