Welcome!

[mrs_tribble]

Welcome to all who love to dabble in the business of pickling and preserving! I used to help my grandmother with this when I was a child (most of my most treasured memories involve my grandmother and myself preparing enormous amounts of vegetables from the allotment prior to storing - or a mixing bowl, a wooden spoon and lots of lovely cake ingredients).

Now that I have a permanent base with my partner of four years I have picked up this craft again. I began with cabbage and eggs, but have also successfully made chutney, onion and rosemary confiturra and piccalilli from scratch.






Red Onion and Rosemary Confiturra




First batch of Piccalilli. Since it was made the colour has settled from this honey gold to a far more recognisable mustard yellow




My anything-goes "Tribble Towers" Chutney. So-named because Tribble Towers is what we call our home!


I'm more than happy to share recipes of all of these goodies - just ask!

Firstly though, I'd like you all to pull up a chair around the kitchen table and use this post to get to know each other.

Comments

[peaceful_sands]

Hi,

I hope it's okay to join you. I'm pretty new to trying to preserve anything. I had a go at jam a few years back with only moderate success but then nothing after that until this Christmas. Times being what they are I was looking to make some more personal gifts rather than going down the 'expensive' line and so came my first attempts at vanilla essence and an apple and cranberry chutney. I don't have pictures at the moment - but could post one of the jars that were left and are now sitting in my cupboard if people wanted.

I'm hoping that by joining you I'll be able to get some ideas for future projects and also tips to avoid disasters - jam like glass or too runny to stay on the toast! I'm also willing to share any recipes that I have got to work *grin* like the chutney - which is pretty good with bread and cheese (even if I am saying so myself ;P)

Good wishes to you all. x

[katarik]

I'm just starting to learn basic preserving, but several meatspace friends have experience to greater or lesser degrees. Hopefully I'll be able to glean wisdom from meatspace and internet places!

[pippa_tea]

Hello,

I've always wanted to learn how to can and found this group soon after I joined. Exciting!

[yady]

Hi,

gipsy_dreamer knows me already from elsewhere. I don't have much experience with preserving beyond the occasional jam experiment, but I love cooking in general and a bit of inspiration to try new things is always welcome...

[delladea]

Hello there! I found this community from the entry in dw_community_promo.

I've gotten more experience in canning and preserving this last year when we had a small garden. The first freeze killed my pepper and tomato plants, so I was left with lots of jalpeños and baby green tomatoes I couldn't bear wasting. I ended up pickling them all and it turned out pretty well. This year I'm hoping to have a much bigger garden.

Jams, jellies and chutneys are things I don't do much of. I've made marmalade and peach jam before, and every year at thanksgiving I make canned homemade cranberry sauce to give to my family.

I always like seeing different recipes. I may share some of mine since some of them are pretty easy. :D

[biting_moopie]

Hi! I've always been interested in making pickles and preserves but never got around to trying. This seems like the perfect time to try!

[daeseage]

Hello!

I've never tried preserving, but I've got the space for it right now, and I've like a better way to store salsas and chutneys and things. Freezer bags with the excess only work so long, and you can't give them away to friends in pretty packages! =]

I hope to learn some good tips and tricks from you folks!