JAMMING WITH QUINCE JELLY AND WINE

Salud, Kids!

We wore sweaters this weekend. For about an hour and then we were back in shorts.

Now, here we are at Monday and I'm clicking the keys to welcome the week.

Yes, I know I promised more Queen Victoria from British Brian, and it is in the queue, so never fear.

But, as I have been seriously hunkered down with writing (now up to Chapter Twenty) my fictional creation, Privately Palmer, I am a bit behind. For those who connect with me on my personal Facebook also know that Britt and I have been doing kooky Halloween stuff (complete with the video of our ghost who moos instead of boos). It IS Autumn, even as we continue to wear shorts and sandals in South Florida.

Guess what?

It's also Autumn (in case you didn't know) over in the United Kingdom and British Brian and Mo don't just take sassy trips on the QV.

Read on to find out more about the wine and jelly making shenanigans from across the pond. And, when he says he has wine for two good folks...he ain't speaking of YOU kids!!

Oh, what in HOLY HELL is a Quince???

Brian never ceases to bring me something fabulous and I'm thinking a Quince is just that. For one thing, I love the fact that it gets ready when it feels like it...sort of like me!

Contributed by Brian Wilson
Bath, UK
All rights reserved and copyrighted

Over here Autumn is well advanced - but you would not think so, as the sun has been shining (at least in our area) - plants and animals seem to be a bit confused.
Our Boysenberry (a cross between a European Raspberry, a Common Blackberry, and a Loganberry) - unfortunately it is not named after my lovely Mo (Boys that is) - is still flourishing and bringing on more and more berries.

Boysenberries ripe for picking.
It has large fruits, deep maroon/black colour and is ideal for pies, jams, or just eating as fruit. Seems to think it is still late summers as it continues to fruit (well we're not grumbling as the taste is "yummy").


The same is true for our Raspberries - you really cannot beat just fresh from the garden. So we have been picking them and adding into fruit pies or even making more jam.

Everyone's garden seems to have gone mad.

A friend of ours found that his grape vines (that form the pergola covering the patio) were ready for picking - so I traipsed off and spent an afternoon picking grapes. They were very sweet - mmmm.

Then back home to remove the grapes from the larger stalks - they weighed 90lbs!!
Then came the pressing.
We have a small fruit press that can press up to 24lb of apples.

Inside the wooden frame I put a net bag, then piled in the grapes.
Winding the handle down lowered a wooden plate on top of the grapes - the juice began to flow.

After one press, I mixed the pressed grapes up again - then back into the press to extract the last of the lovely juice.

After 3 hours I had 5 gallons of grape juice - all held in one of my larger fermenting vessels (I must sound as if I have a "production unit - but it is only for home consumption - we have some of 2010 waiting for you two good folks in 2012).

Then add in a bit more sugar (as grapes grown in the UK have not have enough sun to increase the sugar content of the grapes), then some yeast (A champagne yeast) - give it all a good stir and then put it to one side and let fermentation begin.
We hope to have the wine ready for autumn 2012 - or even earlier.

We were also given 14lbs of quince.

The Quince is a member of the apple family, it needs some care and attention before you can eat it - but it is worth all the trouble.

It's a devil to peel and can be rock hard. Yet baked or pickled and eaten with ham or cheese, the quince becomes a rare treat.

You cannot hurry a cooking quince. They are ready when they feel like it. It can take half an hour or more to poach to tenderness in a sugar syrup.
But, the scent of them cooking fills the house with a rich, mellow sweetness.
The quince can be made into a lovely pickle, jam or wine - added to an apple pie gives a beautiful fragrance and a subtle perfume.
But, we made them into jam, jelly and wine.

Now a question to all you out there in US land - does anyone still make home made wine, jam or jelly?

If so Pam, let's start a part of your blogs "Recipes across the ether" - come on folks, give up your secrets!!

If you are wondering about my bees - more of that later

Love to one and all - Brian and Mo!

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See ya 'round the beaches-real or virtual.
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Brian Wilson
brian@europaassociates.co.uk