Now is the time to be preserving summer. Bottling, pickling and making jams and jellies until the glut of seasonal produce is gone.
It’s hard to imagine that in winter the raspberry bushes will be bare and the hardy rosemary or thyme will be the only green leaves brave enough to grow in the herb bed.
Right now the garden and hedgerows are green, a riot of life with berries, flowers and herbs at their peak. So I like to capture some of these moments and preserve summer in jam jars.
Elderflower cordial is very seasonal and easy to make. Blackcurrant cordial is delicious too. This year I’ve made the most of our beautiful roses by making a few jars of rose petal jam. It’s more like a conserve with whole, silky-smooth petals in a rose-scented pink syrup: perfect with cream in a sponge cake or with scones.
You can use the syrup for cocktails or mix a spoonful with milk, ice and a little cardamom for a floral, refreshing milkshake. It can be added to ice cream and is amazing swirled though rice pudding. It can also be served with Brie or Camembert.
I love it to offset the sweetness with natural yoghurt and home-made granola for breakfast.
I have no fewer that five granola recipes in my cookbook, Dream Deli, so suffice to say I’m a big fan of making your own.
My sister used to make little jars of this very special jam when we were small. It’s the perfect thing to rustle up after a blustery summer day when the roses fall from the bushes and tumble across the lawn. There are a few techniques to ensure a rich rose smell, taste and pink colour.
First pick the roses early in the morning, when they smell most potent. Red or pink roses work best. Add lemon juice to ensure the colour stays. Another way to keep the colour is by massaging the petals with the sugar and lemon juice before cooking.
Gulkand is a similar rose petal preserve that is made in India and Pakistan. It's almost like a pasty rose-petal jam and is amazing in drinks or desserts.
To make the gulkand you need the most fragrant Damask rose petals. The petals and sugar are layered in a wide-mouthed airtight glass jar and left in sunlight for seven to 10 days. Use a wooden spoon to stir every other day, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge.
My version is cooked with added lemon juice, but it’s fun to try both.
