The autumnal manic preserving has continued apace and i thought i’d share with you my latest exploits. I was given a load of apples via work, from a long neglected apple tree outside the office hence producing very small fruit. The thought of peeling and chopping them all individually didn’t fill me with domestic joy so i decided to try out a recipe for ‘apple cheese’. The concept of fruit cheese in fact originated from wartime austerity whereby the pulp leftover from fruit jellies was re-used, although with a bit of compromise on flavour.

To me it’s a bit of a misnomer. Why call something that you eat with cheese, cheese? That reminds me – when we lived in Hailes Street, Lyla’s first attempt at naming butter was “butter-cheese!’. Maybe she was onto something.

For apple cheese there is nothing more to preparing the fruit than simply chopping into quarters and stewing gently with water. Ideal for those small knobbly little buggers.

Next, pass the pulp through a sieve. It will need a bit of encouragement to come through… Place the concentrated puree into a saucepan and add 3/4 of it’s volume in sugar. (100ml = 75g sugar). Boil for around an hour until it darkens and takes on a glossy texture. At this stage i tested it for setting point using the traditional method of placing a wee blob onto a plate and putting in the fridge. If set in a few minutes, you’re laughing. Literally, as there is nothing worse than unset preserves, because there is no going back once you’ve potted them.

Oil some ramekins so your little mounds of joy will slide out without too much objection.Seal with waxed paper and string or elastic, and leave to set for a few days. Then serve the little lovelies with a some medium flavoured cheese. Anything too strong and the delicate apple-y-ness gets lost.

The recipe came from this 1970’s preserving book. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s ideal for the novice but with a bit of know-how the recipes are truly authentic, and they work (which is more than can be said for internet preserving recipes, many of which are complete rubbish.)

More preserves coming up next week!

Though it’s been a delightfully sunny summer, i always look forward to the approach of the autumn. The closing in of a season encourages a natural sense of reflection in me, and my thoughts turn from what has been to what harvests may come. Last autumn we were settling in to our new house and much time was spent putting things here and there and finding a nook or corner for everything. My usual seasonal preserves were thus few and so this perhaps partly explains why i am now gathering produce and preserving it like we’re approaching a major world meltdown.

No summer is complete for me without a trip to Borderberries near Kelso to pick raspberries. At this time of year they are an absolute bargain price so i picked 3 kilos this week, and 1 kilo of redcurrants. This sun was peeking through the canes as i plucked the sweet morsels and as the lady in the next row remarked, ‘the raspb’ries are hingin’ hivvy’. (This can only be deciphered with a ear for the Borders tongue).

The key to good raspberry jam is berries as fresh as you can manage, so i set to work that same evening. The technique itself couldn’t be simpler, adding an equal weight of sugar and boiling til setting point – usually about 10 minutes later. Or refer to the jam thermometer.

If you ever consider preserving, do invest in a jam funnel. Saves you chipping rock-hard bits of jam off your surfaces for a few hours afterwards.

Day 2 and i was onto the redcurrant jelly. This involves the slightly arduous task of using a straining bag, which seems to ever evade me as it all gets horribly stuck in the material and fails to strain properly. Into the bargain, it appears not to have actually reached setting point, and consequently we have several jars of what could only loosely be described as ‘jelly’. Plus, as you can see, a very messy kitchen table.

But when all else fails, a bit of simple pimping is called for. Bring out your best Kidston fabric, dicky up the jars and you’ll be wondering why you ever left the WI.

Come september and i tend to focus on preserves i actually eat, like chutney.