Collective Remembrance_0001.wmv (+playlist)

Hi there on Sunday, 23rd February 2014.

Have you heard about Spelt?  Its an ancient wheat, known worldwide up to the 20th century then  just dropped in favour of bread wheat, in almost all areas where it had been previously grown.

Spelt has now been re-introduced by Doves Farm of Hungerford, Berkshire,  since 1996, at Shipton Mill of Tetbury, in the Coteswold, where they have been milling flour for a very long time and now, also organic spelt; and at Sharpham Park in Somerset, organic spelt has been grown and milled since 2005, when their new farm business came into being; they provide an online supply of British home grown milled flour, plus bread, a breakfast cereal and their Pearled Risotto grain. Spelt is popular with the organic farming community and the health food industry, since the grain needs fewer fertilisers for growing, thus both industries have been in favour of this organic grain and have made it popular.   It is sold in specialist shops and health food stores (Holland and Barrett) and in Supermarkets, Sainsbury's and Waitrose.

I heard of Sharpham Park thru' Kellie Anderson of Food to Glow (email - kellie@kelliesfoodtoglow.com

It is certainly a little more costly to produce and buy, because of the extra processing stage for husk removal prior to milling, and because of its "minority product" status...(Spelt - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Sainsbury's. Holland and Barrett and Waitrose sell Spelt products such as Doves Farm flour and Organic flour, while Waitrose also stock Sharpham Park of Somerset (www.sharphampark.com) Organic Pearled Spelt, their muesli, flour and a Spelt Risotto with Pumpkin and Shallot.  You can buy Sharpham Park Spelt products online and from their farm shop.

I've been eating spelt home baked goods for about three weeks now and have only noticed very slight effects, nothing too much at all, and its been wonderful, being able to eat bread again.  I'm still experimenting with the muffin and crumpet recipes from Elizabeth David's brilliant book -"English Bread and Yeast Cookery" - ISBN 07139 1026 7 - given to me many years ago by a dear friend, and I'm sure to be wanting to report on further findings, as I make and taste other items cooked with Spelt.

The research is very interesting and I find it all most thrilling to continue with my cooking and tasting experimentation.

My reference sources for all my Spelt posts are via - Wikipedia - the free online encyclopedia; Faith Durand of the Kitchn (http://thekitchn.com/authors/faith) for her Sponsored Post and books; Nature's Legacy  of Purity Foods, Inc.(info@nongmoproject.org.);  Doves Farm - at www.dovesfarm.co.uk

I'm still baking English Muffins and Crumpets to Elizabeth David's book - English Bread and Yeast Cookery with Spelt flour and I'll let you know how my cooking goes!

Have fun with your cooking experiments!


Daisy


All reference details and sources correct at time of publication but if I have included any errors in this blog please do let me know and I should value your feedback.

IMG 5047 Margaret makes her Quick Pressure Cooker Beef & Veggie Stew

IMG 5029 Hi there its ME ....on Making Marmalade

Hi there ...I've been making marmalade - Sunday, 16th December, 2014.

January is the month for Seville Oranges and French apricots, for delicious thick tangy marmalade and glorious apricot jam with a few of the white kernels (removed from the split fruit stones) finely chopped and added to the apricots.

Seville Oranges are best for marmalade because of their bitter taste, thick peel and high pectin content, meaning it sets well on its own, although I always add a couple of lemons to my mix.  Sweet oranges may be used with the addition of either lemons or grapefruit, or a mix of all three, and this mix will also set well without the addition of commercial pectin.  The pectin is to be found in the fruit but mainly in the skin and pith and that is why the whole fruit, including the pips, is used for marmalade.

Preparing the fruit, squeezing the juice and collecting pips & coarse flesh

I have made a dark Seville Orange marmalade this year by adding black treacle with the warmed sugar, to give a deep, rich brown finish to my preserve.  Commercially, this is called Oxford Marmalade and it is a very popular product.

The washed and scrubbed fruit is cut in half, squeezed to extract the juice, pips and pith, and strain the juice. Add juice to the fruit and the cooking water, and cook to soften the fruit, before the sugar is added, with the pips and pith being tied up in a scalded muslin bag for cooking with the fruit, juice and water mixture. The mixture must then be slowly cooked for about two hours, to ensure the peel is very soft.  Once the sugar is added, the peel will not become softer and will, in fact, appear to become tougher, once the sugar has dissolved and after the rolling-boil process ensures a good set, which lasts for approximately 10 minutes or more, depending on the fruit and mix used.

This year, to save time and effort, I pressure-cooked my fruit mixture in twenty minutes, when it was beautifully soft and cooked and ready for the addition of sugar.  I always use the correct Preserving Sugar because this gives a better set, and creates less "scum" on the boiling and set preserve.  Now you must remove this "scum" as soon as your mixture has reached the set stage, otherwise, it will spoil the appearance of your finish.  To remove it, simply add a good knob of butter to your very hot  marmalade and stir it in slowly, to amalgamate well.  Leave the mixture to cool for ten minutes, or until a fine skin has formed on the mixture, and then ladle it into oven-warmed and sterilised jam jars, sealing immediately with waxed papers, cellophane tops, secured with elastic bands, and  metal lids.

A good rolling-boil...

Adding good knob of butter to remove "scum"

"Scum" free...

Potting-up!

A good "scum" on cooked marmalade

To test for setting, place a small teaspoon of hot preserve onto a saucer and place into your 'fridge or freezer for a few minutes and, if it's sufficiently boiled, the mixture will wrinkle slightly when pushed with the finger-tip.  You can, of course, test with a sugar thermometer or by allowing the hot mixture to drip from a twirled wooden spoon, held aloft over the pan; when the falling drips collect and run together from the spoon, setting point has been reached.  I always use the saucer method for its easy reliability and convenience.

Keep all utensils, spoons and funnel immersed in boiling water, while potting-up, to maintain a good hygienic finish to your product.  Marmalade made and stored properly, can last for up to two years, depending on how quickly you eat it up, or give it away, to family and friends.

Leave the freshly potted preserve to cool and set completely before moving, then wipe each jar clean of any sticky drips,  label with preserve name and date,  and cool store.

Do test and taste before storing away!

Preparing to pressure-cook

Pressure cooking for 20 minutes



It's great fun making your own marmalade and Seville Orange marmalade is the best but I also love a ginger mix, grapefruit and lemon marmalade an. a three-fruit marmalade can be a real joy.  Somewhere I have a very delicious sweet and rich marmalade dessert, with butter, sugar and eggs mixed and cooked with your marmalade...it's so rich, I've never seen anyone able to eat more than one very small ramekin of pudding, garnished,  with just a little dash of single cream!


Happy marmalading everyone!

Daisy