Aaaaand it's almost over. I hope everything goes as you wished, that everyone is healthy and happy and full of hope for the New Year.

It's time to tidy up, put the decorations away safely for another year, and get ready for the new school term. Happy memories have been made, engagements announced, baby news congratulated, new recipes, new disasters ( those become the best memories of all - trust me. ), Lots of laughter, jokes, silly hats, and a few tears remembering those no longer with us.

Wishing everyone their very best Christmas and New Year - come back soon and explore grown-up serious preserving - first I will be taking you through the world of Marmalade Making - it's easy if you follow my method and I swear that you will never buy commercially made marmalade ever again.

Until we meet again,

Rosie

SHOW LINK:
https://preservepod.co.uk/ep013

#preserving #simplypreservedmagazine #gifts

Two - yes TWO recipes today - classic Peppermint Creams - simple, easy, a welcome change from chocolate and rich fruits- it's a real crowd pleaser. Also, the absolutely delicious Apricot Brandy.

You need to start two weeks before you actually want to drink it, but the upside is, it doesn't need any cooking, just soaking and bottling. It is just so, so apricot-y - it is always a surprise.

Makes a great gift, is a show-stopper after-dinner liqueur, a surprise hamper addition - try making the chocolate-dipped-apricot-brandy-soaked-apricots to nibble as you are drinking it. No brandy involved.

It's preserving magic!

SHOW LINK:
https://preservepod.co.uk/ep012

#preserving #simplypreservedmagazine #gifts #hampers #apricotbrandy #peppermintcreams

If you have a Leaping Lord in your life, maybe he would love some Wholegrain Mustard?

Another ancient preserve brought to us by the Romans - the soldiers carried it everywhere with them in the form of mustard balls, which had been dried in the sun and then carried them in a little leather pouch. At meal times ( to make the meagre rations taste a little better ), some of the dried mustard would be scraped off with a knife onto the meal to season it, or reconstituted with a little red wine.

Not that much different to today except for the soldier bit. When the Romans first came here, their main encampment was at Tewkesbury - and that area is still famous for wholegrain mustard to this day.

The recipes for Wholegrain Mustard are simple - no cooking required - just overnight soaking and then processing. Luckily, we've moved on from grinding the mix between two stones, so it is really easy to make. Just right for your own little soldier. Or difficult to buy for Uncle, or Grandad that 'doesn't want anything.'

N.B. Women eat mustard too.

SHOW LINK:
https://preservepod.co.uk/ep011

#preserving #simplypreservedmagazine #wholegrainmustard #gifts #hampers

Mix all of the ingredients in a pan, cook for 15 mins - lasts for two years. No further treatment required.

A splendid traditional recipe from 200 years ago ( no, I didn't devise it!)

What a fabulous thing Mincemeat is, and I am restraining myself here as once I start, I get over-excited about its very specific history, its simplicity, its uniqueness and the multitude of uses. I don't suppose you have given it much thought.

There are many, many versions, with suet, without mine has butter, all different mixes of fruits - fresh and dried, nuts, all sorts of mixes of spices, alcohol, you just need to choose your preference.

Be sure to choose quality over price if you are buying. My recipe has around 10 ingredients, mostly dried fruits - a commercially made mincemeat has upwards of 33 - about half of those are chemicals of one kind or another. Your choice.

I realise that we don't actually need mincemeat in our lives, but we Brits manufacture just under 800 million mince pies per year and eat, on average, 11.5 each. Well, I don't eat commercially made mince pies, so that average is already skewed. Let's raise our game, demand better.

SHOW LINK:
https://preservepod.co.uk/ep010

#preserving #simplypreservedmagazine #mincemeat

Wind back to episode two when I promised you a partner to the Vanilla Sugar - I don't like to disappoint. This is a quick, easy make which you can keep as an all-time favourite for your own store cupboard and/or gift - even include in a hamper. 'Oh Rosie - why would we need to make our own hot chocolate mix - we can buy it just anywhere, even the local all-night garage.'

Not this, you can't, with quality ingredients that you know what they are by just reading their names and that don't sound like a chemical. Also, you can control the amount of sugar - I always find commercial mixes too sweet.

Have a look in Simply Preserved magazine, Day 8 - there are other ideas there and even a recipe for Christmas Cake Cookies that will partner beautifully and are a great idea if you like Christmas cake but don't want to make one or have any icing.

How about a Christmas Eve Film Night to calm everything down and make those last few hours pass more quickly before the early start the next day? Hot Chocolate and Cookies, anyone?

SHOW LINK:
https://preservepod.co.uk/ep009

#preserving #simplypreservedmagazine #christmascakecookies

Don't feed all of the stale bread to the ducks and swans; dry it thoroughly and blitz it into breadcrumbs. Save in a zip-lock bag - it's not difficult. One of those little routines of life which, when assimilated as a routine, makes the rest of your life a lot easier. Only good bread, though, a sourdough-type of bread - sliced white isn't really bread and therefore not suitable. So review your bread choices and proceed accordingly.

I give methods for drying and then using them in the video. You will be so glad that you did.

Don't forget to check out all of this series in Simply Preserved magazine, as there are so many more ideas for each of the days. Normal publication will return with the Winter edition just after Christmas, and there are lots of previous issues to read digitally and print off anything you would like to keep. You are welcome.

SHOW LINK:
https://preservepod.co.uk/ep008

#preserving #simplypreservedmagazine

Now for some Proper Preserving. Still quick, still easy, but unbelievably delicious. Fresh Lemon Curd is one of those delights in life which may be short-lived, as it isn't meant to be stored, but it is short-lived and magnificent.

Back in the day, I used to go to lots of food markets and fairs, and I always had a cool box with some Lemon Curd. There would always be people who would creep up to the stand, rather furtively glancing from side to side, and then whisper, 'Do you have any Lemon Curd?' with a kind of dread that I would have sold out.

I always found it amusing - if only they realised they could make it at home in ten minutes, their life would have been so much easier. The same group of people often asked, 'What do you eat this with?' 'A spoon' was always my reply.

If you decide to make some to gift, just remember that it needs to be refrigerated at all times except when you are actually eating it, of course. It makes a fab gift for a hostess if you are invited for the weekend or Christmas/Easter.

Make some Lemon Curd and a few fresh scones - you will be invited back again and again.

(TIP: there are lots of different flavours of curd!)

SHOW LINK:
https://preservepod.co.uk/ep007

#preserving #simplypreservedmagazine #lemoncurd

Caution: DO NOT start singing the song - it will be with you all day! I took marmalade as my theme for the Fifth Day of Christmas - but don't worry, we are not making marmalade in the middle of the Christmas workup.

We are making Marmalade Gin, which is one of the easiest gifts you can make - or why not just keep it for yourself - it's delicious.

Buy - or use homemade (Hint: Better) the best marmalade that you can find - supermarket own brand just will not give a good result as it has many, what I coyly refer to as, extenders. Undesirable ingredients that are used to make the product cheaper, go further, and therefore make more profit. You can, however, use an own-brand gin quite happily, although even that may have ultra-processed ingredients, but it is impossible to tell. An ingredients list is not a requirement, as it does not come under the food regulations. You need to allow two weeks to make this splendid concoction, but the wait is well worth it.

Oh, you will need a big jar as well.

SHOW LINK:
https://preservepod.co.uk/ep006

#preserving #simplypreservedmagazine #marmaladegin #homemadedrinks