Autumn bounty

It hasn't been wall to wall doughnuts this week (thank you for your kind words of support), but the apple theme is one which seems to be persisting.

These were cored and stuffed with apple juice soaked raisins, brown sugar and a cinnamon stick. And then baked in a foil tent until they collapsed into that fluffy goodness that just cries out for a little river of double cream. Autumn puddings are undoubtably some of the finest.

But although there is plenty of immediate gratification to be had from the fruits of the season, there is also an urge to preserve some of that bounty for later in the year. 

Crab apple and chilli jelly - from The Cottage Smallholder's directions. It is truly delicious, and mine turned out with a subtle enough heat for the children to enjoy it too. In the depths of winter, when I open a jar, I will think of the pleasures of today, spent cosseted in my kitchen, laughing with a friend as we chopped and boiled and ladled. And the jelly will be all the sweeter for the memory. Preserving at its finest.

 

Comments

[lina_case@hotmail.com]

Looks like liquid gold in the sunlight. I have just been making apple butter which looks like dirty sludge despite tasting wonderful!

[Katherine]

Beautiful! I've been doing a lot of preserving, too, but you really manage to capture it's essence with your wonderful words. I know just how you feel!

[Thimbleanna]

Oooh Yum! Your jelly looks amazing and your prose has captured it's beauty perfectly!

[simone]

I must make stuffed apples!!! The jelly looks like liquid sunshine. x

[Gina]

There is something exquisitly jewel like about that jelly. I would just want to look at it.

[Petit Filoux]

I do love autumn - what do you have with your jelly then? It looks so beautiful with the light!

[Pebbledash]

It's positively glowing...beautiful!

[kristina]

Oh I'm so impressed. It looks beautiful! Some day I'll learn how to preserve...

K x

[TheMadHouse]

That looks fantastic

[The Coffee Lady]

Oh, I remember baked apples. We made them at school - did you? I made them as a dessert for my college boyfriend, part of a meal which was planned around picking him up from the train station in the middle of cooking it. When his dessert arrived he said: "Baked apples! We made them at school!"

No sophistication points for me, there.

[Rebecca]

Wonderful to have such memories in a jar. Baked apples! I haven't made any for months, my mouth was watering as I read, definitely tonight. How funny that I am reading your blog whilst keeping an eye of a preserving pan full of apples on the stove. Today it's apple butter and I think I know what to do with my crab apples now....

[Scented Sweetpeas]

oohh thanks for that chilli jelly link, my hubby will love that!

[Jane]

Worth making crab apple jelly just for the wonderful colour.

[suse]

Bad luck about the job, but it's their loss I reckon.

Lovely jelly - it glows!

[little pink room]

Hi Ali, I'm coming in from the cold after a month of technical difficulties. I have managed a bit of lurking from time to time. I was so sad to hear about your job but I'm glad that you had a lovely day making jelly. I hope there is a lot more lovely days like this to come. Aoife x

[dottycookie]

Mmmmmm. Yum. Now, where can I find crab apples - I think the garden centre might be annoyed if I harvested their stock of trees!

[Lisa]

What a fab picture, glowing like stained glass panels.
Lisa x

[Monica]

I'm intrigued by the jelly... what do you eat it with? (we don't 'do' jellies in Italy... to me they're quintessentially british!)

[kate]

mmm life at it's best. looks delicious

[Louise]

What a wonderful glowing picture! I shall be off to find myself an apple to bake today as you make it sound so welcoming!

[French Knots]

It looks wonderful glowing in the sunshine. I made an apple cake and apple crumble at the weekend with some windfalls. My 7 year old son was more interested in the apple that had a maggot in it when it was cut in half.

[Jennifer]

How beautiful! Isn't it satisfying to stand back and glory in the lovely jars of goodness you put up? And baked apples - I haven't done that in years. I must get to an orchard stand...
Also my sympathies about the book shop. Not easy to have that kind of joy(along with the work) taken from you.

[Concha]

Wow... perfect jelly, a great picture and lovely words. I made blackcurrant jam today (I froze most of my harvest in July) and I'm planning to make apple jelly this weekend - hopefully it'll turn as clear as yours! :)

[domestikate]

Oh the joy of preserving. It's just so satisfying and homely and wonderful, isn't it?

[Heather]

Am soooo thrilled you've included that link - I was only putting word out recently that I should like to add chilli to my crab apple jelly. :-) Thank you x

[Lesley]

Ok, so now I know what we're having for pudding tomorrow - yum!

Your crab apple and chilli jelly is the most fantastic colour and it just glows! Might have to convince the family to go hunting for crab apples this weekend.

xxx

[hazel]

looks and sounds really delicious and a bit different. i am appled out! i have made apple sauce, chips and crisp coming out my ears. hubby still is nagging me to use the rest. this looks yummy!