Jamming with Kitty

It was late September, the hedgerows were bulging and the fruit was ripe. It would be the first serious jam / conserve making session at Three Pools, so we thought it would be best to call in the expertise of our good friend and jam legend Kitty (AKA Sandy's Mum).

We had a huge variety of fruit from the farm including: Greengages, Damsons, Figs, Crabapples, Blackberrys, Gelder Rose and Rosehip to name a few. Our mission for the weekend was to experiment with, combine and preserve these flavours to enjoy at a later date.

With Kitty's wealth of knowledge and guidance, we successfully made our first batch of jams and conserves. Future Three Pools classics include: Blackberry, Bramley & Blackpepper Jam / Crabapple & Rosemary Jelly / Greengage & Bayleaf Jam.

A massive thank you goes out to Kitty for all her help and guidance she gave to us over the weekend!

Here is one of our favourite recipes for you to try at home:

BLACKBERRY JELLY

1.75kg Blackberries 300ml Water 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

Place blackberries, water and lemon juice in a big pan. Simmer until the fruit is soft. Pour the mixture into the muslin strainer. Leave for 12-24 hours (until all juice has passed through the muslin).

Measure the juice and return to a clean pan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Add 350g of sugar to each 600ml of juice. When the sugar has dissolved, boil rapidly for roughly 15 minutes until setting point has been reached.

Bottle, label and enjoy the yield!