Lemon Ginger Syrup

This is a wonderful remedy for winter blues it warms the cockles of your heart! It is also an effective defence against the symptoms of colds and chills.

Take a tablespoonful (or more to taste) of the syrup in a tumbler full of hot water and add a slice of lemon and enjoy.

You will need

Sterilised bottles for storage

Ingredients

113 grams/4oz whole ginger

1 litre/2pints water

2 lemons

A tablespoon of citric acid (available from chemists or Asian stores) 

A Quantity of sugar

Method

1.      Bruise the ginger and place in a saucepan with the water and the thinly pared rind of the lemon

2.     Bring to the boil and simmer with a lid on for ¾ of an hour

3.     Strain and measure and for every pint of liquid add 450 gm (1 lb) of sugar and the juice of a lemon

4.    Return the lot to the pan and re-boil for ten minutes

5.     Bottle, label and seal for storage.

Passata... easy but time consuming..

You will need 

A quantity of tomatoes we used about 5 kg

A large pan

A small flame

A good deal of patience

1. Chop your tomatoes and place in a large pan

2. Cover pan and place over a small flame after a couple of hours it will look like this

After a couple of hours

3. keep bubbling away and after about eight hours it will look like this

After about eight hours 

4. Now pass through a sieve.. I blended mine first it makes it easier but is not essential

Blended tomatoes 

Sieve to remove skin and pips

5. Gently simmer resulting mush until required consistency

Finished Passata

6. Pack into freezer bags and store for use in winter months

Crab apple jelly

This is a lovely preserve which can be spread on bread or used as an accompaniment for Sunday dinner type meals. mmmmm.


You will need
A large pan and either a jelly bag or a square of muslin

5lbs crab apples
Caster sugar

Rind of a lemon
Method
1. Place apples in a large pan and cover with water

2. Bring to the boil and simmer until pulped
3. Strain the juice through your muslin into a bowl. Don’t squeeze the bag or your jelly will be cloudy, rather, let it drip slowly, preferably overnight.
4. Weigh the juice then weigh an equal amount of sugar
5. Bring the juice to the boil add the sugar and lemon rind
6. Bring all back to the boil slowly to dissolve the sugar
7. Boil for one minute then test the set*

8. Cool slightly then transfer into sterilized jars
9. Leave to cool then seal tightly.

* To test the set drip a small amount of jelly on to a cold saucer and push with your finger if its ready it will wrinkle. If it doesn’t wrinkle boil for a little longer and try again

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Blackberry vinegar

I know the idea of a sweet fruit vinegar sound a little strange but once you have tried it neat over pancakes or diluted with hot water as a comforting drink during the winter months you will never want to be without it. Blackberry vinegar is full of vitamin C and so will help combat colds and chills. Why ever this product is not available in the shops is a mystery to me.

You will need

Blackberries (see the picture)
White wine or cider vinegar (enough to cover the blackberries)
Sugar

Method
1. Cover the blackberries with the vinegar in a large bowl. Cover and stand for three or four days
2. Strain the vinegar through a sieve and squeeze the blackberries to remove all the lovely juice
3. Measure the liquid into a large pan and for every pint of infused vinegar add a pound of sugar
4. Bring the liquid to the boil and simmer for 3 or 4 mins
5. Cool slightly and store in clean bottles
6. Can be used straight away but will keep for the whole year

This wonderful vinegar can also be made with raspberries instead of blackberries.