Warning: Food talk inside. Kitchen Supply shops for Jam/Jelly/Canning supplies?

Blonde Logic

Yes. You can.
Heya's

I am getting myself set up, peice by peice, to start learning to make jams/jelly's/fruit butters/canned veg, etc., and am a bit stuck.

I know where I would go back home to buy equipment, but not a clue here.

I am at the moment stuck finding a water-bath canning pot, for sterilising the jars, etc.

I have found some items at Lakeland.com, but can;t find this big bathing pot.

Can anyone give me a clue what shop/site I might check? I know I could proabbly pick one up second hand at boot sales, etc., but really want to get started soon.

Would appreciate any leads!!!

Thank you!!

xx
 
Morning BL

Wow you and I are on the same track here!! Lol I am obsessively making jam at the moment, still not sure exactly why, my Mom seems to think its because it is something I can cook now, but save till later. I am not sure where you can get one of those pots, but will have a look in my kitchen suppliers book at work on Monday. I usually just use a big old pot with boiling water then pop the jars into the oven for a minute or 2 to sterilise. The other place you could try is "pages" they have a web page and are a massive cooking/catering shop in Shaftsbury avenue. Have you had a look on ebay? I have just done a google on "water bath canning pots" but most of the sites that come up are american, so perhaps you would have to place an online order or connive a relative to send you one as a gift!? Good Luck with it all there is nothing more wonderful than preserving your own jams/jellies/pickles/chutneys etc. Let me know how it goes.

Jez
xx
 
JEz - I am OBSESSED with it at the moment!!! I have never done it, and can't wait. I think I am anxious to be on my land in California where I am going to have a huge veggie garden and small orchard, and just want to learn to do it all, and forget the grocery stores!!! :)

I am clueless. And it all seems so daunting. Pectin, no pectin, etc. Sterilising, sealing properly, etc.

Lots of stuff I see make no mention of using the 2-part lids that form a vaccum, and just say to use screw on lids. Won't it go off if there is no vaccum seal? I remember mom also sometimes pouring parrafin on it, and I see "wax discs" - do those make a proper safe seal? Seems the edges would not be sealed as its not melted and poured???

I am lost - and hungry for knowledge!!! :)
 
Way back in the day when I was training to be a chef, we had to spend 1 afternoon a week for year making different preserves, and I have only started again recently. I find that if you use a kilner jar with the rubber seal they work great, as do normal jars that you sterilise with screw on lids. My sister got a whole load of wax discs (really just wax paper cut into diff size circles so you could do that yourself to use) so I pop those on if I use normal jars. You can also use plain parafin wax to seal with but have never tried that. Most of the jams and chutneys I have made have been fine without. I try to seal then when still quite hot and that makes it very airtight. I think the trick is to full the jar really full so you have as little air as possible in it which is where the problems can come in. Also when you fill the jars, make sure there are no little airbubbles as that can cause contamination too. I am so with you on making all your own stuff and bugger the supermarkets - one of the reasons I am dying to move out of London so I can have my own garden!!! Window boxes are just not enough currently!!!! There are some really good books about on amazon for jams and preserving. I have one called "clearly delicious" not sure if it is still in print though because it is quite old. I adore making preserved fruits like apricots in light lavender and brandy syrup etc. Something else that is amazing is doing your own flavoured vinegars - I am lucky enough to have a vinegar mother plant, so make from there. Also flavoured and infused oils. Moroccan preserved lemons are fantastic and add a brilliant element to cooking and are very easy to make. I am also obsessed with sourdoughs. I make my own cultures and then make bread from there. I did discard my 2 last cultures, but time to make some fresh ones. Would you like me to bung a couple of nice jam and preserve recipes up for ya? And don't be daunted just go ahead and make some, best way to learn is trial and error and it is such fun. I came home on Thursday and made loads of fresh apricot conserve, which for me was total Summer in a bottle - sorry to wax lyrical here, but ooh I love it soooo much!!!

Jez
xx
 
Wax away!! Anytime!! I LOVE to cook and create! I used to make oils and vinegars all the times with herbs from my garden. SB made some at christmas - was lovely.

I would love some recipes if and when you have the time, thanks so much!

I think part of what is daunting, I best learn by watching. Not reading, my comprehension level is highly visual. Maybe I will look for some online video 'lessons'. That might be usefull.

I have a beautiful recipe for jelly using Lavender. Definately want to try that. And Pear-Vanilla Bitter recipe is high on my list too.

I am going to try an Orange Marmelade next week when all my jars arrive, as it sounds quite simple.

I will remember to keep it all hot and full when canning - that makes me feel better. I grew up with mom panicking if a jar did not seal -thought we were all going to die of botulism!! LOL

Thanks for all the tips!!!
 
I am popping out to a weird shop that has kitchen stuff today so will see if they have said pot, then will put some recipes up later. I am so excited to have a fellow "jammer" to chat with. I am also off for a charity shop trawl when I drop off the books there, for this I totally blame you and SB!!! hehehehehehee the shopping bug has well and truly got me firmly in it's grip now!

Jez
xx
 
I'll be the jam tester :)
hope you ladies are fine
I make a mean strawberry Jam I must say
 
Kenshin, woohoo, come over.. I have strawbery, raspbery, apricot, and black currant, tonight is blackberry night!!! Really must go out now, but bbl!!

J
xx
 
Anytime

my mum makes some lovely mango and carrot chutney :)
 
Lakeland plastics soundslike the place for you-they do have shops dotted around the country but also a website-they sell all sorts of gadgets and usefull stuff for making and preserving. You could bankrupt yourself!!
 
Jez - I forgot to say - I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEE Sourdough bread!!! How do you make a starter? And do you have to constantly be making loaves - that woudl be the one thing to put me off as bread is something I use sparingly now - but I could freeze it I suppose?

That is one of th highlights to our trips back home to San Francisco, is the Sourdough bread, and I search high and low for it here and never ever find it. :(

You are my HERO!!!! :D :D

xxx
 
Hi, i've only just had time to look at this, but yesterday I started making some Christmas chutney using bramley apples, victoria plums and elderberries from my garden. I smashed the plum stones, inside is a seed that looks like a pine nut and tastes sort of almondy. I put those in for texture and taste. It has come out a deep burgundy red colour (translation - color!)with black dots and tastes good. I used most;y white wine vinegar, a bit of malt, fresh ginger and garlic and some cinnamon.
Lovely with cold cooked meats at Christmas. Will be doing something with pears next.
p.s. BL - Our nearest LAKELAND is Chichester. I could show you and Arundel has some charity shops............................?
 
Jam session sounds good bl (",)
 
[Post EDIT: This has turned into quite a lot of discussion about foods, so if you are sensitive or easily swayed - just be warned. :) ]


Man, I have got the cooking bug bad. Have now found a recipe for a Christmas Cake - your fault SB! - that I can make now, and feed with rum every month or so - whoo hooo!! Drunken cake!! :D

I have never had CC before, the recipe I found sounds lovely - full of mango, cranberrry and currants. Yummmm!!!

I have never made an english cake, full on with Marzipan and ROyal icing, etc.

I think its about time I did!!


I've got the fever!!... :D
 
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You so have the fever BL. Christmas cake is amazing, it is one of our serious family traditions. We always make that, the xmas pud and the xmas mince meat in about September. The whole family has to stir the mixture and make a wish for the coming year. We also then put a lucky penny in the xmas pud. We then feed the cake with brandy and rum and inject it with it too!!! it is absolutely divine, and lasts for months and months. My mom usually ices it with the whole plastic icing and marzipan bit. I do love a cake tho, with almonds, and glace fruit on top as the garnish and wrapped with a pretty tartan ribbon, it looks uber seasonal! That recipe sounds divine tho BL I have never had one with mango in it so would love to try it for a seasonal twist this year since I will deffo be eating by that point!!!

SB your chutney sounds divine, I will absolutely make some tomorrow, just wish I had a garden with lovely bits in it. We all sound very WI (womens instutue as opposed weigh in) but it would be great to swap some of our makings with each other.

Re the sourdough, I usually make a culture, which can be kept in the fridge to be kept domant and taken out to be fed when you fancy making a loaf. I will pop on the link of where I found the recipe for how you make a starter. There is also a SF sourdough company that will send out sourdough yeasts for you to use as starters. Totally amazing. I do like making my own though as each one has a slightly different flavour depending where you make it. It is also fab for blinis, pancakes etc.

Basic starter recipe: Home Made Sourdough Starter: Naturally Leavened Sour Dough Bread Culture from Wild Yeasts | Suite101.com

I usually store mine in the fridge in a sealed kilner jar, and just take it out, let it come to room temp feed it and off I go.

Sourdough Cultures <-- This company is amazing and well worth buying a culture from, especially if you want that authentic SF culture.

PS: can we keep this as a foodie chat area, I adore talking food with fellow foodies???

PPS: found the most amazing random hardware store today that has loads of preserving jars of all shapes and sizes. Have the blackberries and the preserving sugar so tomorrow we are "jammin"

Jez
xx
 
Hey girl!

Fine by me if we talk foodie stuff here! THat is why I edited the title of the thread, as the tide was turning, and I couldnt see it going back to just jars and pots!! LOL

I will look into that Sourdough stuff. SOurdougn pancakes are the best!!! Oh my god, was raised on them!!! Thats cool to know you can make it dormant, and pull out as needed.

Ya know what - I realllly miss American Fridges!!! I think I not only need a bigger wardrobe but I am going to need a bigger fridge and freezer and a pantry wouldnt hurt either!!! LOL

I think tomorrow I may make some cupcakes for the ladies at work. I of course wont be having any, but would be fun to do SOMETHING. I really miss my days in the kitchen.
 
Oooh I would love a huge old american style fridge and a walk in pantry and big ole kitchen with a huge wooden table in the middle.Cupcakes sound divine, one of my fave things to make, infact ooh now I remember why I became a chef in the first place!!! Funny I was almost bored by food before I started LL, now I am so in love with it again. We shall all have to meet up one day and each bring a course and have a fabby healthy party! Please post some pics of the cupcakes when you have made them :)

Jez
xx
 
JEz, when I was a youngster, my parents gave me the opportunity to go to a College (University equivellant I think) - they knew I was not a scholasticly inclined person, so my choices were the Culinary Institute, or Art School, as I either wanted to be a chef myself, or an artist.

I started cooking when I was about 16, and I love it. Its been one of my few regrets in life, that "I knew better" and thought just getting out into life, and living life, was a better choice then further education.

I would have loved to do what you do. Good for you!!

I have a friend back home and we used to alternated dinner parties, and we really went to town, we created some wonderful things. We still throw the idea around about having a small cafe one day, though its more whimsy then reality - we are too old and tired! LOL BUt I would have loved it, I know.

SO good on ya!

I like the dinner party idea!! Where are you anyway??

x
 
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