[New shoot]

Preserved pears today 

Spicy pear and dried apricot chutney with ginger, chilli and lime.  Pickled pears in a sugar and vinegar mix with garlic, chilli, peppercorns and dried rosemary.  OH arrived home, said the house smelt lovely and went looking for goodies.  He wasn’t best pleased when I said they had to mature, the chutney needed 2 months and the pickles were being saved for the end of the year for eating with cold meats and cheese so hands off   

[wighty]

I remember being at school and the whole building smelling when it was chutney making time in the Domestic Science block.  Made all our mouths water and want pickles with lunch.

[Growster...]

Elder daughter has started a very simple preserve system, with the simple slicing of a couple of red onions plonked in a jar of cider vinegar for a day or so!

They really do taste fabulous, and will have lost the sharpness of a raw onion but don't last long as they get too soft! So, for a week or so, there's a great additive to a sandwich or a salad for very little outlay!

[snowdrops]

Ooh goodness, not much made before Yule on here!
Today I made the first batch of marmalade for this NewYear 2024, actually 2 batches & 2 more to do tomorrow from frozen fruits, but I got mixed up when I slow cooked the fruits yesterday so ended up with 4lbs cooked. Not sure what we’ll do with it all but the fruits have been in the freezer for a long while. Flavoured 4 big & 2 little with whisky.
Then there’s gooseberry & mint jelly I made last week I think it was .
Then a photo of some of the pantry after a move round.
I had made lots of chutneys in the autumn but don’t seem to have taken any photos, and lots were given as gifts at Christmas

[New shoot]

Got my preserving year off to a start.

Eggs that were a freebie from work (reduced but not sold) with some white malt vinegar, dried chillies and peppercorns.  OH likes his pickled eggs to have a kick. Now got to hide them somewhere he won’t find them for a few weeks until they mature 

The small jar has a bit of scrunched up cling film on the top as it isn’t full and I needed to keep the eggs submerged.

Green garlic from the plot made into garlic butter.  It was overwintered stuff that got bad rust and did not split into cloves.  I chopped it up and blended it with oil and parsley. Then added butter, made into rolls and once set in the fridge, I cut it into rounds and froze it. This is it just about to go back in the freezer. It smells wonderful 

[New shoot]

Paris Silverskin onions and I dehydrated the green tops for adding to rice dishes, soups and anything else I feel they go with.

The recipe called for wine vinegar but my local Tesco only has the highly expensive Aspall stuff, so they got Tesco own brand cider vinegar instead.

OH loves these things, so not expecting them to last very long 

[New shoot]

Cucumber and coriander freezer pickles getting ready to be frozen.

I was dubious about these when I first tried them a few years ago, but trusted the recipe reviews.  They are ready good and I’m glad to have the surplus to be able to make them this year 

[snowdrops]

Paris Silverskin onions and I dehydrated the green tops for adding to rice dishes, soups and anything else I feel they go with.

The recipe called for wine vinegar but my local Tesco only has the highly expensive Aspall stuff, so they got Tesco own brand cider vinegar instead.

OH loves these things, so not expecting them to last very long 

Do you just use the silverskin onions fresh or dry them like shallots before using please?

[New shoot]

I used them fresh snowdrops 

[Growster...]

I've got a glut of Basket of Fire peppers in the GH, and when Daughter started telling me about hot sauce, a sort of light bulb 'lit up' and I made a batch as per this chap...

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235276/how-to-make-homemade-sriracha-sauce/

After prep, the first lot reduced down from over a pint to a wine glass full, and was so hot, I've had to make a second batch to 'dilute' it! I also added a few toms for colour and depth, but I think that the third batch will be with several more toms, more garlic, and generally less searing to various body parts...!

[snowdrops]

I used them fresh snowdrops 

Thanks NS