On the cusp

Soon it will be September.  The weather is still rather warm here, and the evenings are not yet cool.  In the garden the robin is back making a racket after his summer quiet spell.  Unlike last year, every fruit is abundant and bursting with life. 

The brambles are fruiting early and unlike our one lonely apple on the tree last year, this year we have fifteen!

I'm not sure what these beautiful berries are, although I assumed they aren't edible just in case.

The large rose bush is still flowering madly after months of  activity.  I shall miss being able to bring in some blooms to put in the house.

Summer is getting past its glorious best, and everything in the garden looks a little overblown after all the exertion and growth.  Only the sedum looks like it is on the verge of something lovely.  The tomatoes are slowly ripening, we have had a much better crop this year and we have a number of courgettes ready which I think we will make into soup.

When summer gathers up her robes of glory, and like a dream of beauty glides away. 

 -  Sarah Helen Power Whitman

As memories fade of a summer that only occasionally was...

As memories fade of a summer that only occasionally was...our thoughts turn to preserving and pickling everything in sight!  After the second lot of chutney was made, we mulled 1.5kg of pears and made 5 jars of blackberry and apple jam.  We still have lots of apples and blackberries which is good as I don't think this jam will last very long.  The recipe is quite simple, but adds a little cinnamon and nutmeg, which is just lovely, so I wanted to share it:-

Blackberry and Apple Jam

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/8112/blackberry---apple-jam.aspx

Ingredients

• 1kg of blackberries
• 750g green apples (cooking, about 6 peeled & cored)
• 1.5kg caster sugar
• 125ml water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• Equipment
• biggest saucepan you've got (30cm across)
• 10-12 jars

Preparation method

1. First put a small plate or two in the freezer.
2. Put your clean glass jars and lids on greaseproof paper on a oven tray and put in the oven. When you start cooking turn the oven on to 100 degrees C. This sterilises the jars and makes sure they won't crack when you put the very hot jam in them.
3. Peel, core and cut apples into small chunks (the smaller the quicker they cook, but having chunks to bite in your jam is nice too, so not too small). Put them and the water into your saucepan. It needs to be big because the jam bubbles up nearly three times the volume. Cook with lid on over a medium heat for about 10 to 30 mins (till soft, but not mushy) add the blackberries for the last 5 mins.
4. Lower the heat and add the sugar and stir with out it boiling until its all dissolved. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Bring the jam to the boil and boil for 20mins-ish, stirring often. Don't put the lid on, but wear long sleeves and use the lid as a shield as it can spit boiling sticky jam and it hurts!!! Stir across the base of the pan to check its not sticking or burning. When the jam falls from a tilted wooden spoon in 'thick sheets' (slightly glupy, no longer runny) test for setting point. If you have a sugar thermometer the temperature for jam is 104 degrees C, but if not that's why you put a plate in the freezer with a puzzled face.
6. Remove from the heat, place a little jam onto the cold plate and place it back in the freezer for 30 seconds. A skin will form on the surface and will wrinkle when pushed with your finger. If it's not doing this put it back on the heat and try again in a bit until it does.
7. Get your jars out of the oven and ladle it straight into the jars up to the start of the neck. With a clean/new damp cloth clean the edges of the neck (inside and out) and seal with lid. If you're like me, once all are sealed, then clean the rest of the jam off the jars and leave to cool. Store in a cool, dark place for 6-12 months. Refrigerate after opening.

It is as healthy to enjoy sentiment as to enjoy jam.
G.K. Chesterton