The time of year is upon us when there are so many varieties of fruit available in abundance and more and more people a looking to preserve them into the winter in the form of jams, chutneys and marmalades. Jam making is a very popular past time, just by going to any fete or outdoor event will quickly show you just how many people are making these amazing delights!
To make any of these preserves there is just a few items a beginner needs to buy and there are several companies out there producing these items, many of them due to the boom of ‘grow your own’, however too many of them are cheap imitations and will not last year after year. One brand that originated in 1842 that has truly stood the test of time is Kilner.
They continue to produce to innovative products that all lesser companies endeavour to copy. The three most important items listed below are all available from Kilner and I’ve never met anyone who regrets buying the best. My mum’s Kilner Jars are older than I am, and are as good as new.
The first item that will be needed is the pan itself which nowadays most common in stainless steel. Traditionally a copper pan would have been used, but due to the poor longevity of this material and also rising copper prices, stainless steel has become common place and produces almost identical results. In some instances stainless steel is more suitable, for instance on induction hobs, with many professional and long-time cooks preferring this type of pan.
The next most important item is the storage jar, known to most people as a ‘Kilner’ jar. Jars come in many shapes and forms, from clip top, to screw top, from square in shape to round. And each one of these is available in a huge range of sizes to suit the end user from ½ litre to around 3.0 litres.
The final item which I feel is absolutely necessary is a funnel, which gives a means of transferring the hot preserve into the jars. It eliminates spillage of the beautiful liquid that you have slaved over from picking through to preparing. A simple metal funnel with a wide mouth to help poor easily is readily available from Kilner.
Above I have outlined what I believe to be the three most important items required when starting out, there are obviously other items you add to your collection to improve the preserves your making, and increase your offering. There are other things that you might want to add after a bit of trial and error, but the basics are there to really help you master this delightful art.
So, now you have read our guide to making these tasty treats and products, you need to go and get some fruit and start making some lovely jams and chutneys.
