I always thought that to make jam successfully you had to own an Aga or be a card carrying member of the W.I. I have a not-so-latent baking gene but to be honest I was always a bit scared of making jam. It’s the big pans, the thermometers and the jar-sterilizing palaver that put me off. However 2 things helped to change my mind – a ‘make do & mend’ approach to Christmas presents this year, and the arrival in the shop of ‘Preserves: River Cottage Handbook No. 2′ by Pam Corbin.
It’s a neat little hard back that’s going to survive spine crunching and any splashes of hot sticky stuff. The second in a series of 5 handbooks on no-nonsense subjects such as bread, mushrooms and veg gardening, and at £14.99 a bargain to boot.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall hired Pam Corbin to organise River Cottage’s Preserving Days, and she’s done him proud with this book. She’s passionate about preserving and is keen to remind us that not so long ago it was something that most everyone did as a way of using up seasonal gluts and honouring the ebb and flow of the fruit and vegetable world.
She’s meticulous on health and safety in a modern up-to-date way, including sterilising, filling and sealing tables – chutneys are treated slightly differently than marmalades etc. – which makes you feel in incredibly safe hands. And she includes three different tests for setting.
The style is chatty and informative, the layout simple, with each recipe having its own page. There are lovely photographs too. Most recipes include suggestions for modifications if you have different ingredients or want to try something a little more adventurous.
Armed with a preserving pan, thermometer, recycled jam jars and long wooden spoon I started with a glut of damsons and made jam using the Plum Jam recipe. It’s delicious – soft but not runny, fruity and not too sweet: the recipe uses more fruit than sugar, rather than the usual half and half. O.k, so I didn’t manage to skim off all the pips but I warned all recipients!
Next up came the more challenging Quince Cheese, aka Membrillo. This is delicious eaten with cheese, particularly Manchego, and also brilliant for giving a certain zing to stews and tagines or pork gravy. It’s also good after dinner with coffee. Chopping quinces is a trial, and stirring the molten lava that they turn into when they break down rather hairy, but once poured into the tray it is jewel like. It needs to mature in the fridge for a few weeks. I then cut it into small squares and rolled in a little caster sugar before putting into bags for Christmas presents – beautiful and delicious.
Lastly I made Melissa’s Chestnut Jam. I had been given a large bag of wild chestnuts collected in a forest in Shropshire. Peeling chestnuts is extraordinarily fiddly, especially wild chestnuts which are tiny. I now realize why they are so expensive! Once you’ve got this bit over the jam is straightforward to make and made a perfect present to give back to the chestnut giver! I used vanilla sugar rather than honey and rum instead of brandy but any combination would be good I’m sure. It’s rich but utterly delicious. I’m planning mini Mont Blancs for New Years eve dinner: meringues with cream, chestnut jam and a little melted dark chocolate.
Now January beckons and hopefully there will be some seville oranges in the supermarket for my next preserving adventure: marmalade. But there’s lots of other things I want to try too: fruit leather, cordials, jellies, & ketchup. I’ll have Christmas presents for next year all sewn up by October!
