Anyone for Cherries?

I am a very regular user of the St Deny’s Community Centre, and I had been keeping a close eye on the ripeness of the cherries on the big tree in the front garden. The fruit on this tree often ripens early, a week or two before the other local trees and you need to be prompt if you want to beat the birds to it.

It was Midsummer when we rolled up outside the Junction Inn, with our fruit picking equipment boxes and lucky cherry socks. The first stage was to install the smallest members of the gang on the roof of the car, which we had conveniently parked directly under the tree.

Our friends soon joined us, bringing their own children along to help. We then set about filling up our containers with beautifully sweet, ripe cherries. Of course, quite a lot of the dark red fruit didn’t make it past the hungry mouths of the children (and adults).

It didn’t take long before the local kids got wind of the fact that these red things were not actually poisonous berries (despite my best efforts to convince them) and we soon had a little gang asking if they could help and more specifically to share our booty. Not that I mind, and actually, I positively encourage them to go and find more trees around the neighbourhood, there are plenty.

The regulars of the Junction Inn also seemed quite interested in the goings on. By the time we had finished, I had worked up quite a thirst myself but first, I had to get home with our fruit and get the children fed and up the wooden hill. No prizes for guessing what we had for dessert that night...

Get Busy with the Fizzy

Last Saturday the weather was boiling, my son and I had an hour or two to spare, so we decided to get busy with the fizzy. We set about making Elderflower Champagne - Yum! Oh, and some sweet cordial for the kids too.

Folklore states, that if you stand beneath the Elder tree during midsummer, you might see fairies; this is much more likely if you have already been at the Elderflower champagne! With this in mind, we equipped ourselves with a large carrier bag and walked off down the road to pick a bag-full of blooms from these ubiquitous guardians of the hedgerows. 

The citrusy Elderflowers are one of the quintessential aromas of Summer, along with freshly mowed lawns and thundery rain on hot tarmac. A good friend of mine says that you should always pick your Elderflowers in the morning because they can smell more like cat’s wee in the evening (nice!) – so take heed.

It only took us about half an hour to pick 50 or so heads, then we headed back, buying the other ingredients on the way home. We saw bushes with at least 200 flowers on, so there's plenty left for Elderberry Port later in the year.

 

While I cleaned all the buckets, pans, sieves and recycled bottles my son was counting and stripping the flowerheads from the stalks and leaves, which should not be included.

In a fairly short time, everything was done, then we just had to wait two days, although my helpers always get a glassful before it’s properly ready. Needless to say, both buckets needed testing and both got the thumbs up from the kids. We made several pints of Cordial and about two gallons of Champagne (it was a big hit last year and we ran out too soon).

The champagne takes two weeks to ferment, till then the kids are making do, on a diet of delicious Wild Strawberries and the Elderflower cordial, which was ready in two days.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Well, I’m not sure what Shakespeare would have thought about this, but according to arcane wisdom (folk /old wives lore), the fruitfulness of your crop can be guaranteed by leaping about the garden naked - especially around midnight on Midsummers Eve!

Redcurrants Add Pectin to Jam

Allegedly, this effect also applies to the potency of the leapers, so be warned.

Ripe Redcurrants - Also Good in (Mid) Summer Pudding

I have no idea what effect plucking cherries or plums naked at midnight on the 21^st of June might have, but if you do feel the urge to experiment, I suggest doing it in the privacy of your own property if possible. Please pluck carefully and listen out for the sound of distant Pan-pipes and the feint tinkling of bells… Always be sure not to tread on any faery folk as this is considered unlucky, not least for the faeries.

Cherry Jam - As Made by My Mum

I was sporting shorts and sandals on our latest mission - and that’s about as adventurous as I get most days. We popped round to a nearby neighbour who kindly allowed us to crop some fruit off her cherry tree. It kept pouring with rain but the cherries were sweet, big and juicy. In a short while we collected enough fruity booty to take over to my parents on Father’s day.

All Food is Fully Tested, Naturaly

My Mum kindly offered to turn the harvest into several pots of delicious Cherry Jam. She even donated her ancient brass and iron preserving pan to us, to help in our own future endeavours.

Mum's Old, Brass Preserving or Maslin Pan

Mum’s Recipe for Cherry and Redcurrant Jam

2.5 Lb Cherries

2 Lb Redcurrants

1 Pt Water

3.25 Lb Sugar

Method

Simmer Redcurrants and water for 1 hour.

Strain through a cloth to give half a pint of juice.

Add the cherries and simmer for 20 mins.

Add the sugar, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins.

Test for setting, pot and cover.

I call this my Mum's recipe, but all recipes are handed down from someone else - very much like folk-lore, fairy-tales and nursery-rhymes.

Mothers & Others, have been making jam for centuries, so it's impossible to hold on to ownership of them.

As such, I make no appologies for copying any I find anywhere.