Spiced vinegar

Some pickling recipes call for spiced vinegar, this is the preferred method over the old one of adding spices to the items to be pickled.
Also they spoil the appearance of the finished pickle. The current way is to make a spiced vinegar, this is poured over the pickles, giving a clearer appearance. There are commercial vinegars sold that are already mixed.

Two home methods used are the:

Slow

This can be made at anytime of the year, and kept until required, just put your preferred spices in the cold vinegar, and leave for 2 months, giving it a shake from time to time.

Quick

This method allows the spices to steep in hot vinegar and is suitable for making on the day of pickling as it will be ready in 3 hours. Cut a piece of muslin 20cm x 20cm and place your spices. You will need approx 50g / 2 oz to each 1.5 litres / 2 pints of vinegar. For showing the vinegar is usually white and minimum 6% acidity. For home use follow the recipe guideline:-
Place a heat proof bowl over a saucepan filled with water, place vinegar and spices (tied in muslin bag) the water is then brought to the boil, but not the vinegar. Turn off heat and leave to stand for 3 hours to allow the spices to infuse. If cloudy, strain through a jelly bag (used only for vinegar products). Bottle and label.

Spice mixtures

• No 1: Cinnamon stick, cloves whole, mace blades, whole allspice in equal amounts to 40g / 1¾ oz plus 6 peppercorns 1.5 litres / 2 pints malt or white vinegar.
• No 2: Cinnamon stick, cloves whole, ginger ground, mace blades, white peppercorns, whole allspice in equal amounts to 50g / 1 oz to 1.5 litres / 2 pints malt or white vinegar.
• No 3: 4 tablespoons blades of Mace, 2 bay leaves, 4 cinnamon sticks, 4 dried Red Chilies, 12 Peppercorns, 2 tablespoons whole allspice, 2 tablespoons whole Cloves, 2.2litres / 4 pints white Vinegar.

Of course you can make up your own mix.

Sugar

Sugar serves as a preserving agent, aids gelling and contributes to the flavour of the finished product. Cane and beet sugar are usual sources for jelly or jam. Marmalade recipes sometimes call for dark brown sugar.

Do not reduce the amount of sugar in traditional recipes, as this prevents setting and may allow yeasts and mould to grow.

Fruit in jam-making

The following fruits are high in pectin, these can be used singly or combined with low pectin content fruits.

1. Apples cooking
2. Apples crab
3. Redcurrants
4. Blackcurrants
5. Damsons
6. Gooseberries
7. Lemons
8. Seville oranges
9. Plums

The fresher the fruit the superior the flavour For those who are contemplating growing your own, the choice of good fruit varieties from specialist fruit suppliers is growing every year. For those fruits you have to purchase, ask your local greengrocer when seasonal fruits are due in and the variety.

Apples

The best known variety for cooking is the famous Bramley Seedling, readily available all year round now. Other varieties are, Arthur Turner and Howgate Wonder.

Apricots

In the shops around the New Year from New Zealand. The two UK varieties are Alfred, good flavour, and Moorpark, juicy and available in August, the most commonly grown Apricot in England.

Blackberries

Blackberries and hybrids, such as Boysenberry )a thornless American hybrid) have great bramble flavour. Loganberry the most popular of the hybrid berries has a sharp flavour. Of the blackberries new varieties seem to arrive every year that yield larger and larger fruits Fantasia, Loch Ness, Sil Van and Waldo. Lots of choice but consider that you will only require one bush, as these varieties will take up 10 to 20 feet of space.

Cherries

Varieties suitable for cooking are Morello most common, but acid. Others are Sunburst, dark red and large, and Summer Sun recommended for the marginal climate of the UK.

Blackcurrants

Good jam but better jelly. Ideal varieties are Ben Connan small bush suitable for gardens, Ben Lomond most popular commercial variety. Ben Sarek, another garden variety with very good flavour.

Redcurrants

The earliest redcurrant ripening in July is Junifer, brilliant colour. Laxton's No1 is popular, again early.

Damsons

Damsons are with plums a versatile fruit suitable for jams, jellies, chutneys and pickles, An excellent all round variety is Merryweather.

Gooseberries

Gooseberries are the first fruit of the season. Make excellent jams, jellies and a good source for home made pectin. Careless is a excellent variety for jam making when picked young. Invicta is the most widely grown culinary variety.

Citrus

Seville the number one for marmalade, but only available for a few weeks at the start of the year Sweet oranges can be used in combination with other citrus fruits, grapefruit, lemons and apples for extra pectin. Tangerines, Satsumas have little natural pectin and are set using commercial or home made pectin.

Plums

As Damsons above, plums are a great all purpose fruit. The most well known is Victoria, a very heavy cropper popular in pick-your-own farms. Marjorie's Seedling a late dessert and culinary plum, soft and juicy. For Gages there are Green Gage, considered the best of all plums and Early Transparent Gage suitable for all purposes.

Raspberries

Raspberries will grow almost anywhere, providing they are on well drained soil. For the earliest summer variety Glen Moy. Midsummer Glen Ample large red fruits, good flavour. For Autumn, the popular Autumn Bliss, large firm texture and good flavour.

Strawberries

The choice in strawberry varieties is huge, The usual supermarket variety is Elsanta, chosen because of its long shelf life. but good flavour. If growing your own, then select the varieties with the most excellent flavour and as the strawberry season can run from mid June to late September. extend the picking season using Elvira, early midsummer,. followed by Pegasus, midsummer. Then late summer Maxim, large fruits suitable for exhibition purposes.