Once upon a time our garden was full of fruit bushes.
With a small boy to amuse we had to pulled up the fruit bushes so that he had a lawn to play on. There is only one redcurrant bush left and this year I built a fortress around it to stop the blackbirds eating the berries.
They are so pretty, but I am never sure what to do with them other than stick them on top of things.
Exhibit A
I sent a query out on Twitter. What shall I do with all these redcurrants?
There were a collection of answers including cheesecake topping and muffins, but in the main the call was to turn them into redcurrant vodka or gin.
Now I liked this idea, mainly because it sounded nice and easy.
Then reality kicked in, when am I realistically going to drink them?
I returned to my ‘Sensational Preserves’ Book and plumped for what is called a ‘no cook’ recipe. This is a bit of a lie as you do cook it, so not sure what they class as cooking.
You blend the berries in the food processor, then sieve and strain them through a jelly bag overnight.
Next day you warm the juice in the oven with 12oz of sugar per pint of juice. You then ‘cook’ the warm sugar and juice on the hob until you get the set you want.
It’s made just over a jars worth of jewel coloured tangy jelly that’s good with biscuits and cheese.
My favourite is to spoon it over vanilla cheesecake.
I’d have put a photograph of that in too, but I appear to have eaten it all.
Oops.
aforkfulofspaghetti
August 3, 2010
Ah, that brings back happy memories… One of my grandmothers used to make redcurrant jelly (and blackcurrant jelly) – I adored its lovely sharp tang.
Wish I could get hold of enough to make some myself. Maybe next year!
Lovely post, Claire – and beautiful photos, as always
thingswemake
August 3, 2010
Ah, thank you Helen. I am sure your time for stirring pans full of preserves in a country kitchen will come soon! It is a bit of a nostalgia trip for me too. It feels a very grown up thing to do. Vodka would have been much more cool, but in reality not so ‘me’!
onevanillabean
August 4, 2010
What a beautiful color jelly they make! I hope to run into some red currants at the farmer’s market or super market to make this!
Sally
August 4, 2010
In my days of growing up without a freezer, my Mum used to bottle fruit such as redcurrants and blackcurrants. In the depth of winter we’d have a jewel like redcurrant tart made with shortbread style pastry, with custard of course. They are also good in summer pudding and in a drink that the Poles call compot (not sure of spelling). Your jelly looks beautiful.
mytinyplot
August 5, 2010
I just love your photos. They’re perfect.
thingswemake
August 5, 2010
That is such a great compliment coming from you Gill, because I love all your stuff too! Thanks for reading.
Apryl
August 5, 2010
that looks fab, even to me and I hate red and black currants… maybe oneday I will get around to making some jam, my mother makes some every year but I have never tried.