[chrissie B]

Its realy nice , lidl had their greapfruit on at 29p so got a few hubby loves greapfruit ive left the peel really big ,i had to use small jars as i had thrown out loads then was asked for some so only had small left .
chrissie b

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I've just come in from the garden with a mass of quinces from my little tree.  It has done exceptionally well this year.  Some are already bubbling away on the stove making juice for jelly and the house smells lovely 

I'll do a spirit based drink with them, but have the great luxury of enough to try something new as well.  A recipe for a  pickle combining quince semi-dried in the dehydrator and lots of chili and spices has caught my eye, as has a chutney recipe.  More research and some more jars needed I think 

[chrissie B]

Sounds interesting ive never cooked with quince and only had it the once when i was given a jar of jelly butit tasted musty wasent keen .
chrissie b

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Musty    Then what you were given wasn't quite right Chrissie.

Quince jelly should be a beautiful pink colour and is one of the best to eat.  Its always a bit of kitchen magic when a hard, yellow unpromising looking quince transforms into a jar of rosy coloured delicious jelly 

I'll put some pictures on once it is made 

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Quince jelly plus a couple of jars of spicy quince chutney. 



Its not a typical chutney where the ingredients are simmered until totally combined.  This one is cooked fairly fast and is more a spicy, savoury quince conserve.   It needs to mellow in the jar, but it tastes very promising 

[snowdrops]

Looks lovely. Tomorrow I'm making gooseberry & mint jelly & might have a bash to use the leftover gooseberries up in gooseberry,orange & pistachio jam. I really do feel it's a waste not to use the leftovers from the jelly bag. Does anybody else reuse them? I sometimes re simmer then with half the quantity of water & then put that through the jelly bag again & mix the 2 batches of juice.

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Gooseberry and mint sounds lovely, as does that jam   What a great mix of flavours and I like the idea of pistachios in there for some crunch.

I've done an apple and mint jelly that had a splash of white wine vinegar added and that is good.  Apples work well for jelly on a second boiling.  I haven't tried it with gooseberries, but there is no reason it shouldn't work.

Another herb one I have made that I can really recommend is rosemary.  I used apple as the base, but you could use other things.  Its fantastic with chicken 

[snowdrops]

Hmm second try at this got an error message the first time🤔
Gooseberry & mint jelly first of, followed by gooseberry, orange & pistachio jam, all made out of 4lbs frozen last years fruit. Not a great colour on the jam, it was pink the first time I made it

[snowdrops]

Here's today's effort, allotment chutney. I adapted a recipe given to me by Mrs Bee, has courgettes,runner beans, aubergine- home grown but tough skins, red & green toms, onions, beetroot,Apple,sultanas. Hope it keeps

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Here's some more from a few weeks back, just checked & I've not posted them before
Strawberry jam from my own strawberries, first time I've had enough to jam

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Cherry jam from our tree

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Red current jelly from this years fruits, still got last years in the freezer


Very glad I've put these pictures up. I thought I hadn't made very much but the pictures show otherwise.

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And the last ones so far

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Wow you have been busy Snowdrops.  What a lovely lot of preserves to have on hand     I am very jealous of the cherry jam 

I made my quince pickle today.  Last night the quince slices were mixed with chili, salt and tumeric.  They were very tasty when I sampled one.

Today they were drained, semi-dried in the dehydrator and packed in jars with more chili, salt and lots of roasted, ground spices.  Hot oil was poured over and now they have to sit on a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks.

Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but it is a similar process to an indian lime pickle and I love that 

[snowdrops]

Thanks Newshoot, vie still got some in the freezer from this year & last year, it's a morello cherry so needs cooking. Quinces, now that makes me jealous 😊.
Hmm don't seem to have a photo of the 15 jars of beetroot & apple chutney I made a few weeks back & it's all stashed away maturing now🙄