In the past food preservation was a thing of necessity - preserving crops while they were plentiful to last over cooler months when fresh produce was sparse. Through preservation, new tastes were created, adding interesting flavours and textures to traditional meals.
Over the years, produce and condiments have become readily available from the supermarket, so naturally we became less reliant on using preservation techniques. Now, however, as we are becoming more conscious consumers, more and more people are turning back to "home-made". We are realising the satisfaction of creating our own food, seeing the value of reducing food wastage through preservation,and taking the power into our own hands to control what goes into our food (no additives, preservatives etc).
Have you tried making your own preserves?
Why not give it a try...
Here is a delicious recipe for
Strawberry Jam:
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1 kg of strawberries (hulled)
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The juice of 1large lemon
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1 kg caster sugar
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Put a small plate in the freezer to use for the jelly test.
Directions:
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Layer the strawberries (cut in half) with the sugar in a stainless steel or ceramic bowl (not aluminium).
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Fold through the sugar gently so each piece of fruit is coated.
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Leave to stand for 2 or more hours (if you have the time) - stir them gently a few times so the sugar dissolves.
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Place the berries in a large stainless steel pan(with a heavy bottom) and add the lemon juice.
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Bring the mixture to a boil (stirring occasionally)and boil it for about 15minutes, testing after 10 minutes or so, using the jelly test. If the mixture slides around on a cold plate then it isn’t ready –and you need to continue boiling and test again at the 15 minute mark. If it crinkles when you gently touch the surface it is ready to bottle.
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Take off the heat skim off any foam and stir gently off the heat for about 5 minutes (this stops the fruit from rising). Some people add a ½ teaspoon or so of butter at this stage to clarify the foam (scum on the surface).
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Ladle the preserves into clean sterilised jar leaving about 6mm head space and turn on the lids (using a tea towel to prevent burns) while the jars are still hot.
There are many more tips on preserving food in our new ebook on
Food Preserving