Salted herbs are a great addition to any kitchen pantry. If you want to eat in season, and I think everyone should to some degree try and eat seasonally, then salt preserved herbs are a must. Salted herbs are quite common in certain parts of the world. Places in Canada for example where the cold …
Refrigerator pickles or quick pickles as they are known interchangeably are a way of pickling vegetables in vinegar, sugar and water that acts as a short-term preservative and flavour enhancer. Whilst quick pickles like this will not last as long as canned or fermented pickles the vegetables you preserve will last longer and most importantly …
The term Koji refers to grains, usually rice, that has been inoculated with a fungus called Aspergillus oryzae. Koji is essential to the production of foods that are synonymous with japanese cooking and food production. The most recognisable product is soy sauce which is the result of fermentation of soya beans in brine with Aspergillus …
Making jam is a great way to preserve fruit, but once you have made it, just how long will homemade jam last? The shelf life of a jam is an approximation and can vary according to a couple of factors so if you want to learn more about what preserves a jam and how the …
Making jam doesn’t mean having to process a bucket full of fruit and making up and sealing loads of jars. For jams like this small batch strawberry jam, you can start off with a single punnet if you want. This strawberry jam recipe can be tailored to whatever quantity of fruit you have and takes …
These oranges preserved in brandy something else. They look exactly the same as the day you peeled them but have been sat in brandy and syrup for months. The taste is deceptive, you expect to taste a fresh orange but what happens when you preserve these oranges are the segments fill with the sweetened brandy, …
Working out how to tell when your Jam is set can be tricky. The problem is that when you are making jam or jelly you are boiling it so the consistency is completely different to what it is like when the jam cools. When the jam is hot it is less viscous and runnier than …
Preserving fruit in alcohol has a transformative effect both on the fruit and on the alcohol. It is this type of preserving that I enjoy so much, taking an ingredient and seeing the result of preserving alter the taste, in most cases enhancing the flavour, the texture and colour. The great thing about preserving fruit …
When preserving food in jars it is important to maintain a high level of cleanliness. Sterilizing jars is important to ensure not only there is no bacteria in the jar that could potentially spoil the contents but also the heat of the jar is also needed to maintain a good seal. Here is the lowdown …
Cheese and apple chutney, this is a classic food pairing. Whether it is in a sandwich or with biscuits and crackers, chutney cuts through the richness of the cheese and provides a tangy, sweet counterbalance. This apple and onion chutney is my go-to choice for a cheese sandwich and it is so easy to make …