Saturday, October 10, 2009

Jelly, anyone?

Jelly, anyone?


I made my last batch of jelly for the season last night. It was the apple & rosehip jelly.

Don't think I'll be making that one again. I used wild rosehips, which are little so you need to find lots of them.


Collecting them gets your hands all scratched up, de-stemming them took 3 hours, and in the end, the jelly tastes almost exactly like plain apple jelly. If I ever do it again it will be with very large rosehips, and I'll use a recipe that's entirely rosehip with no apple in it.

But together, all of the jellies look pretty with the morning sun shining through them.

My favorites by rank:

1 Crabapple

2 Blackberry & Elderberry

3 Elderberry

4 Apple

5 Apple & Rosehip

I'm selling one jar each of the Blackberry & Elderberry and the Elderberry jellies on my Etsy site (although, if supplies run low and they haven't sold, I may have to de-list them and greedily keep them for my own use), the crabapple is all mine, and the Apple and Apple & Rosehip are for one and all (be sure the neighbors will each get some).

And some of each of the jellies will end up tucked in with Christmas gifts.

Okay, that's the last jelly post for the year. I promise : )

6 comments:

Lisa said...

Naaww. I shall miss your crabapple posts.

I've got to find a crabapple jelly at the local store. I'm feeling left-out.

jimminyjojo said...

Your crabapple jelly is the best! Mmmmm!

joco said...

Hiya,
Those little jars look so sweet.
Two things: are you clued up on the Vit C connection with hips? I mean, what percentage remains after boiling and storing? And which hips contain more, wild or cultivated? I would love to know.
Second: Two jellies I used to make are Quince and Red currant. Both of these make the most gorgeous coral red, but the former tastes ghastly and the latter is bliss. The best jelly in my view. Can you get hold of red currants in Summer? If you haven't tried it already, you must give it a go.

ICQB said...

Hi Jo!

I do love currant jelly, too. I was introduced to it while visiting one of my sisters when she lived in Germany many years ago. Currants are hard to find here.

I know that rosehips are high in Vit. C, but don't know how much remains after processing. The recipe I used was a Sure Jell recipe and listed nutritional info of the jelly. I noticed that it listed daily percent of Vit. C as zero.

But in the nordic countries they make a rosehip soup which involves heating the rosehips, and it is supposed to be chocked full of Vit. C.

So, in a word, no, I'm not clued up about Vit. C and boiling and storing and how much remains and which is best, wild or cultivated hips.

ICQB said...

Hi Ocean Girl!

I'm not sure you'll find crabapple jelly in the store - I've never seen it in any store. Not even specialty stores and stores that sell local-made jellies.

If I had the energy, I'd find some more crabapples and make a batch just to send off to everyone who is kind enough to visit my blog.

ICQB said...

Hi jimminyjojo!

Thanks! There are more jars are in the cupboard behind the bowls if the jar in the fridge is empty : )