My Jam Pan Has arrived

Jam Pan

It arrived yesterday and had been slung over the fence by the delivery company.  It would appear everything is okay but I will test drive it tomorrow to make absolutely sure.  Its a brand new machine - looks as though it has never been used as everything is like my original one was when I first got that so I am pretty sure it has not been used.  Am very chuffed as I missed my Jam maker.

I had a couple of options.  Lakeland have a similar pan from Ball in stock but they want £150 for it.  Being as I had all the accompaniments still to my original pan that's why I looked on ebay.  I have saved myself quite a bit of money but the gadgets that go with the pan can be used on the new one as well so a bit more flexibility there when using it.

To test drive  my old pan and also the new one I thought I would make some pear and chocolate jam which will be ideal for croissants.  I found some pears reduced at the Co-Op which all adds at keeping prices low.  I also thought I would have a go at one f the chutney recipes as I also have some apples to use up.  So there is a plan and some madness in place!

Interestingly, with this new later version of the machine (there have been a couple of minor tweaks like the level to fill the pan to used to be on the inside of the Teflon pan; it has now been moved to the paddle.  The recipes are also quite a bit different and the recipe book is more user friendly. (anything has got to be better than the instructions or the original pan  - they were a nightmare).  In my original book it gave a recipe for Dulche de Leche.  I still have the original instruction book somewhere so shall have to dig that out.  In the new one it also gives instructions for making chutneys.

I was speaking to OH this evening about it - he had not realised that I had managed to get the pan off the base of the other one and indicated that I should just keep the bits as spares and get rid of the machine that was not working.  I have since updated him he is going to have a look at it tomorrow to make sure that everything is okay.  Will probably go around with the WD40 knowing him. I shall be happy if he gives it the all clear as it will mean that I will be able to maximise my time when making jam.  The only reason I ordered the new one was because I thought the original one had had it.

Cheesemaking

I am continuing to gather bits together to experiment with the cheese making.  In fact might start off a simple cheese tomorrow. I have managed to accumulate a couple of books and there is another one on its way. 

Today I have added to the equipment by buying a white nylon sieve and white colander to be used purely for cheesemaking.  As I think I have mentioned before I have my eye on a soup urn which can be used for processing the cheese according to one of the books I have on cheese.  Dick and James Strawbridge's book on making your own cheese suggests this as it keeps everything at a regular temperature.

Yogurt

I also need to get a couple of batches of yogurt on as well.  I use the Easyo flask to make my yogurt but do not rely on their  mixes using milk which has been scalded and a tablespoon of live yogurt as the starter.  You can do this with the sterilised milk (the bottles off that you used to be able to get with a crown cap on top - if you use this you do not have to scald the milk.  You can just add the milk straight to the container with the live yogurt culture).  I prefer the flask method as you can forget about it.  All it needs is a kettle of hot water to start things off and then you leave it to its own devices.  No increase in electric bills or anything.  Just nice and simple which is how I like it.

Butter

I also have some double cream which needs using up so I thought I would make some more butter as we really enjoyed the last lot.  Might make some Croissants for Sunday breakfast and some Pain au Chocolat with the butter.

Sourdough Starter

I also intend to start my Sourdough starter off again after not managing to get round to this.  Then hopefully in about ten days time I can get a batch on the go again.  The start of my fermenting shelf.

Kefir

I had hoped to get the Kefir grains and the Water Kefir grains this month -  will have to see how it goes as I quite like the milk Kefir but have not tried the Water Kefir yet.

Now if only I had a couple of goats! 

Reduced Carrots

There were some bags of prepared carrot batons being sold off at 22p per bag so I snaffled a couple of them to make some Carrot and Coriander Soup for tomorrow's lunch in my Hotpoint steam cooker/soup maker.  I bought a bunch of fresh Coriander to use and I thought I would get a loaf on first thing to have with the soup.  Simple pleasurable things that do not cost the earth.

Tomorrow's nights tea is pizza, salad and baked potatoes with butter.  Yum.

Right upwards and onwards its time I was getting some shut eye.

Catch you tomorrow.

Pattypan

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