It seems that I only have to open a magazine at the moment, visit blogs, delve into Twitter and the whole world is at it ~ everywhere people are pickling, chutneying, conserving, preserving, jellying, jamming and canning etc., etc. I have to confess to feeling somewhat inadequate in this department. To date the sum of my activities has been to stew a glorious mound of damsons, which are now neatly boxed off and residing in the freezer, waiting to be consumed in the depths of winter. I remember uttering the words 'Never again !!!' after fishing out the endless stones which laughed me at me last year as they played a game of hide and seek in the pan. Well last year is an age ago and of course how could I walk past damsons on the market fruit and veg stall last week ? So I came home with a few pounds worth, rolled my up my sleeves and braced myself for all those stones only to come across a more painful occupational hazard. This year I have burnt my lips whilst testing the sweetness of the hot bubbling damson stew as it bubbled on the hob. I now sport a fat lip and look as if I have emerged from several rounds in a boxing ring. The words 'Never again!!!' have certainly been uttered again and this time with some considerable vehemence.
In the meantime I might rectify my reputation as a domestic goddess I have plans to make some chutney soon and did discuss the possibility of making some elderberry wine with himself. In some ways I am pleased that himself is not too keen on the idea as the elders feature prominently in the view from my kitchen window. I have been enjoying watching the berries glistening in the rain this weekend as I watched blackbirds feast on them - surely it would be mean to deprive them of such a banquet.
I am so relieved Anna - as I am very inadequate in the pickling department and also happy to watch the blackbirds eating the elderberries. Good to know I am not the only person not jamming etc.
ReplyDeleteI do hope your lip is better ... poor you.
K
I have a vine full of grapes at the moment, but I can't face the hassle of making wine, so we're eating some and leaving some for the birds to eat too. There's ample for us all that way!
ReplyDeleteSu
Ouch, I felt that for you. I too am inadequate in that department, though I have got so many French and runner beans that I must do something with them to preserve them for winter.
ReplyDeleteI learnt that burnt lip mistake painfully too. Or . . . didn't learn because it's so easy to do it gets repeated.
ReplyDeleteIf you do make elderberry wine . . . of homemade wines I have tasted, elderberry is the best flavoured and beautifully coloured.
Lucy
Dear Anna, As I am sure you can well imagine, domestic goddess I am not, although I do so love tasting the pickled and chutneyed offerings of others. All of this preserving strikes me as so scientific and, as I am without a freezer, pounds of anything seems rather wasteful. Yes, how much better to leave it all to the birds!!
ReplyDeleteThere certainly has been a lot of preserving going on especially in Twitterland. I have felt completely inadequate as well and console myself with the fact that I'm at work but I know that even if I wasnt I wouldnt be preserving like a demon as others. Sorry to hear about your fat lip and I will try to remember to remind you this time next year that damsons are a no go for you!!
ReplyDeleteAll that boiling sugar in the Damsons ouch!
ReplyDeletePerhap's it's best not to deny the blackbirds.
Good luck with the chutney, put a bit of chilli in it, give it a kick.
Well, my excuse right now is we don't have anywhere to store them.
ReplyDeleteWhen we get our farm, I have plans for a pantry....let's see how that turns out.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Growing up it seemed like practically the whole summer was spent pickling, canning and preserving...the house was perpetually hot, humid and (sometimes) very aromatic. I don't think I've ever felt pressure to resume it, even with the resurgance of canning around here...
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