I Bottle, therefore I am.

      This is just a little tribute to my beautiful Nana, Amy Cowan, who lived  through the depression and raised 3 of her 5 children during WWII, and died a long time ago now- in 1988. But recently, I feel as though she is very close. You see, she was an orchardist's wife and as such was a great preserver, bottler and baker. It came with the territory. Nana would have pastry rolled out and an apple pie in the oven before you could even find your car-keys and get down to the shops to buy Sara Lee. Her shelves were lined with huge bottles of pears, peaches, apples, and relishes, jams, sauces and such. All made by her. Visits to her would often involve taking lamb sandwiches (adorned with mint sauce, made by her of course), to Grandpa out in the orchard, who would eat them sitting on a packing case, and swig it down with billy tea- then we would go blackberry picking. We were always foraging, peeling, baking, or watching Nana do it.

      Thanks to this heritage that Nana instilled me at such a young age, I happen to be a bottler and preserver type too. And a forager. I didn't realise how much it was a big part of me, until I started growing herbs and tomatoes again this summer, and the constant rain awoke our sad fruit trees and they started producing edible fruit again.
I hate waste. I love to savour, and enhance. And so, I've got bottling fever. Now I have the internet, I'm scouring for great recipes. But I have Maggie Beer's Harvest and the trusty old Edmond's Cook Book to help me along too. And I'm a littl bit inventive.
 So far this summer, I have made chilli jam from my own Jalepenos, Tarragon Vinegar, and pickled Beetroot Relish. We have just finished a pot of homemade rhubarb/raspberry compote as well.
 The beauty of these condiments, is that I have, or my mother-in-law Kath (another Great Depression child) has, grown all the fruit and vegetables ourselves, without chemicals.

      I didn't realise how addicted I was to preserving until I recently looked way up into the cupboards to find ancient plum jam, olives and peach nectar, all 10 or more years old. Possibly inedible- but what a testament to my dedication to the art of preserving! My tomato sauce never goes uneaten, but Kath's pickles sadly just don't have the right flavour, and often sit there for a couple of years before I give up and throw them out. I didn't do much in the way of preserving through the main years of this 10 year drought, but now that veges and fruit are again in surplus watch out!

      My aim this year is to hit on that perfect piquancy in pickles- Nana had it nailed. Her tomato sauce too, was just right- a spicy kick of I don't know what at the end- cayenne maybe? Meanwhile, it's off to source jars... I know where I can get my zucchinis and rhubarb in abundance at least- at Kaths!