Making the most of Nature's Larder

The blackberries are starting to come out near where I live, so this evening when OH walked the dog, I went out with him to snaffle what I can of this most precious of berries as it makes so many wonderful things.  I want to bottle some again this year, make some Blackberry cordial, Blackberry syrup, Bramble and Apple Jelly all of which are very useful additions to the pantry shelf.  Lots of ideas and going to try and concentrate on one thing at a time.

This first picking excursion has ended up with 1.25 kilo of Blackberries which I intend to make into Bramble and Apple jelly.  We picked up a few wilding apples which were on the floor and they will not be good for eating but good for putting a bit of pectin into the bramble mixture. It is a shame really as the skins were perfect on them.  Mind you my Nan always maintained that it was the fallers that were the best apples as they were nearer the sky.  She always used the fallers.

All I do is chop them up and put them in with the blackberries, boil them up and then pop them into a jelly bag overnight to strain.  They will be processed tomorrow evening.  I will measure the juice out and then if there is a litre of liquid I will use the equivalent amount of sugar i.e. 1lb of juice = 1lb of sugar.  1 litre of juice = 1kg of sugar..

They are also good for seasonal eating here and now in a crumble, Blackberry Drop pancakes, Bramble and Apple meringue, part of a "Summer Pudding", popping into a Rumptof, into an apple and blackberry pie, there are so many uses for this wonderful berry.  That is why I am trying to nab them where I can, for my Pantry shelf.  I am being careful not to overpick the area I have been picking.  I went to about four locations to gather what I have found today.  There are still plenty of berries to come and this first thinning out will give the others space and time to grow.  I will check periodically in another area to see whether there are any more ready.

Catch you later.

Pattypan

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