Vivien Lloyd Preserves

Hot Chilli Festivals and Chilli Jam

admin — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:50:18 +0000

In the UK the chilli industry has an estimated value of £14.5million. In recent years, Chilli Festivals have grown in popularity. First staged in 1995, West Dean Chilli Fiesta is the largest and most popular.Visitors can view 300 different chilli peppers growing in pots in restored Victorian Glasshouses, displayed in perfect rows in every shape and size ranging from cool green through to red hot. Over 150 stallholders sell chilli related items including plants, seeds, sauces and prepared meals as well as beer, chocolate, ice cream, clothing and jewellery. This event has spawned festivals all over the country. The UK’s top chilli website, Chile Foundry gives links to over twenty events this year.
Eastnor Castle near Ledbury hosted a Festival for the first time during the first weekend of May. I joined 34 stallholders who were selling hot sauces, snacks, curries, plants, dried chillies, chocolate, jams, chutneys and drinks. My Tomato and Chilli Chutney was very popular and many visitors thought it the best they had tasted.
Dartmoor Chilli Farm had a great range of products including a Hot Strawberry Chilli Jam. Tasting it gave me the idea to create my own chilli jam. Many recipes are sweet, using tomatoes or apples as the base ingredient. I have tasted fiery products with chilli drowning the other flavours in the jam and some with only a hint of heat. Raiding my stocks of frozen black currants I made a traditional black currant jam with an infusion of chilli. For those who like some heat on their toast for breakfast, here is the recipe.

Black Currant and Chilli Jam 
Makes about 2.25kg(5lb)
 This jam can be made from fresh or frozen black currants. Add 10% more black currants if they are frozen. Defrost them before cooking. I like to use Chocolate Habaneros for this recipe. Alternatively, use Scotch Bonnets

1kg (2lb) black currants
852ml (1½ pints) water
1.4kg (3lb) sugar 1 Habanero Chilli

1. Using a fork, remove the currants from their strings. Pick the fruit over and take out any stray leaves. Place the currants in a large preserving pan with the water. Bruise the chilli with a rolling pin and tie it up in a small piece of muslin and add this to the pan.  
2. Simmer the fruit very gently until tender (25–30 minutes). Warm the sugar in an ovenproof bowl in a low oven, 140°C (275°F/Gas 1). 
3. Remove the sugar from the oven. Squeeze the liquid from the muslin bag back into the pan by pressing it against the side of the pan with a spoon. Stir the liquid into the pan. Discard the muslin bag.  
4. Add the sugar to the preserving pan and stir until it has dissolved. Bring the jam quickly to a rolling boil and boil hard until setting point is reached. 
5. Test for a set after 5 minutes using the flake, cold plate or thermometer test. As soon as setting point is reached, remove the pan from the heat and leave it to stand for a few minutes. Push any scum from the surface of the pan to the side and remove it with a metal spoon.
6. Gently stir the jam and pour it into clean warm jars, up to the brim. Seal immediately either with new twist-top lids or waxed discs and cellophane covers secured with rubber bands. If using cellophane covers, apply them when the jam is cold in the jars.

Covers and Containers

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:57:58 +0000

 It is very important to select the correct cover and container for a marmalade, jam or chutney. As a competition judge I frequently see exhibits with not only a waxed disc and cellophane cover, but also twist-top lids and a fabric or paper cover all on the same jar. Both good and bad advice can be found on-line and in print. However, by following a few simple rules it is possible to make preserves with a good shelf-life.

Marmalade and Jam
 Covers for marmalades and jams can be a “breathing” type. This is a close fitting, moisture and vapour-proof disc of cellulose or waxed tissue, and an outer cellophane cover.  Pour the marmalade or jam into clean, dry, jars to the brim and remove any air bubbles. Place the waxed disc on the hot preserve, waxed side down, to seal the surface. Select the correct size to cover the preserve completely. There are two sizes, to fit either 450g (1lb) or 1kg (2lb) jars. The cellophane cover is put on when the preserve is cold and not when it is tepid otherwise moisture from the warm preserve will collect inside the cellophane cover. This might cause moulds to develop during storage.
Alternatively add the cellophane cover as soon as the hot preserve has been poured into the jar and the waxed disc is in place. Dampen one side of the cellophane with a few drops of water and place this side uppermost over the jar. Pull it tightly over the jar and secure it with an elastic band.
For a more modern and smarter way to cover marmalades and jams use a twist-top lid. These are made from plastic coating or lacquered metal, similar to those on commercial preserves. They can be used with jars which have four ridges sloping upwards on the neck. Apply the lid as soon as the hot marmalade or jam has been potted so that the contents of the jars remain sterile. The lids produce a seal and ensure that any yeasts and moulds present in the minute headspace between the surface of the jam and the lid do not survive. Always use new twist-top lids as a re-cycled lid may not provide an airtight seal.

Chutney
Covers for chutneys need to be both airtight and resistant to corrosion from the vinegar in the recipe. Fill the jars to 5mm (¼ inch) from the brim. This is necessary as chutney contains vinegar, and it therefore needs space between the lid and the surface. Seal the jars with new, plastic lined twist top lids. They are immune to its acidity and also prevent the vinegar from evaporating. I have opened many chutneys at competitions which having been sealed with old, un-lined lids, have corroded and spoilt the contents. It is not a good idea to use a waxed disc and cellophane cover as the vinegar in the chutney will evaporate and the contents shrink. This in turn means the chutney will be dry and the consistency compromised.

Kitchen hygiene
 Keep the stocks of covers and containers in clean storage areas. Jars should be sterilised in hot soapy water, rinsing and then dried in an oven temperature of 140°C (275°F) Gas1 for 15 minutes, at the same time as making the preserves, in order to prevent the jars from becoming re-contaminated. New twist-top lids and jars with lids can be bought online from Bristol Bottle Company.

Sugar in Jam

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:21:31 +0000

Recently there have been press reports about an EU regulation which stipulates a sugar content ratio of 60g per 100g in jam. The regulation refers to jam that is made using fruit, sugar and water or fruit and sugar.

“The Regulations require as a general rule that jam, extra jam, jelly, extra jelly, marmalade, jelly marmalade and sweetened chestnut puree have a sugars content (expressed as soluble dry matter content) of at least 60%.” They also state that “ For products labelled as “reduced sugar”: the product must have a soluble dry matter content of not less than 25%, and not more than 50%.” (1)

In Denmark, France and Germany, the regulation is not enforced and jam with a ratio of 55g per 100g is sold.

The role of sugar in jam should not be seen as merely about the ratio. In the UK the 60g per 100g EU regulation has its origins in the UK as far back as the 1920s. As part of their work during that decade, researchers at Long Ashton Research Station, Bristol investigated the role of sugar in prolonging the shelf-life of jam. The recommendation was 60% sugar to 40% fruit for jam made in a domestic kitchen. 
It is the correct proportions of pectin, acid and sugar that produce the characteristic gel in jam. Different fruits vary in their amounts of pectin and acid. Cooking apples, black currants and damsons, for instance have a high ratio whereas strawberries have little. The acid helps to give the bright colour to jam and also prevents crystallization of the sugar. The ratio of these three substances determines the consistency of the jam. This ideally should be spreadable rather than stiff or glutinous.

My home made jams that keep well have up to 5% of the weight added from natural sugars found in the fruit. A further 60% of the finished weight of jam comes from the addition of granulated sugar. If the total percentage is less than 60% the jam may ferment and if the percentage is much more than 65% there is a danger that the jam will crystallise in storage. For most fruits, 2.25kg (5lb) of jam should be obtained from every 1.4kg (3lb) of sugar used.

Granulated cane or beet sugar is best for jam. Cane seems to give a better colour and flavour than beet. I avoid jam sugar (with added pectin) as it interferes with the flavour of the jam. The measured amount of sugar contributes to the flavour of the jam- not too sweet and not too fruity.

Alternatives to sugar such as honey upset the fruit favour of the jam. Glucose and glycerine do not  taste the same as cane sugar. Saccharine, a sweetening agent does not form a gel with the acid and fruit so does not preserve the jam.  
The jam-season beckons. It is time for me to stock up with cane sugar to ensure the very best jam for the year ahead.

(1.) Food Standards Agency. The Jam and Similar Products Regulations 2003. Guidance Notes : http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/jamregguid_rev.pdf

Chutney for Charity

admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:39:47 +0000

How do you combine preserves with food and raise money at the same time? I’ve always enjoyed my second passion bread-making, so the opportunity to make bread and supply chutney for a charity event in Wells on 3rd March was too good to miss.
Wells Cathedral School are building a state of the art Concert Hall. Named Cedars Hall it will provide space for concerts and performing arts within the school and the wider community. To raise funds for the Cedars Hall Appeal, the Friends of Wells Cathedral School Music organised a lunch and talk for members. They were fortunate to book Ann Widdecombe as the guest speaker. Ann generously donated her speaker’s fee to the appeal and also a percentage of sales from her novels which were sold on the day.
A ploughman’s lunch was assembled for 100 with cheese from the international award-winning Ford Farm Cheeses, fruit, my white and brown plaited loaves and chutney. I carefully selected chutneys that would work well with cheese and those that were not too fiery; Damson, Ginger and Cardamom Chutney, Apple and Onion Chutney and Rhubarb Chutney.
After lunch Ann gave an entertaining talk about her life in politics and her hectic life since retiring from Westminster. There were plenty of questions from the audience including a few about her memories of Strictly Come Dancing. With a suggestion from the Head of Wells Cathedral School that Ann and Anton du Beke could be re-united for the opening of Cedars Hall the event ended with all of us having food for thought!

Award-winning Men into Marmalade

admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:49:39 +0000

How do you compete against 1700 jars of marmalade and win an award? Last weekend at the annual Marmalade Awards two competitors Steve Probert and Rob Walster entered the Man-Made Seville Orange Marmalade category and came away with Gold Awards. Steve Probert is new to marmalade-making. Two years ago he talked to me at the Marmalade Awards during an epic marmalade- making session with a group of Girl Guides. He was keen to learn how to make a great marmalade. I suggested he tried the recipe I used to win Best of the Best at the Awards in 2008. On Saturday I was delighted to meet Steve again. Using the recipe in First Preserves, Steve had won the Man-Made Seville Orange marmalade category. His jar was awarded a double gold.  I am a great believer in making small batches of marmalade as the set is quick (less than 10 minutes) and the flavour is a balance of the fruit and sugar used in the recipe. Steve admitted he had tried doubling the recipe from First Preserves. He quickly reverted to making small batches as the results  were superior to those with a larger yield of marmalade.
Rob Walster is also new to marmalade. In 2011 he entered the Awards for the first time, and was awarded 19/20 for his marmalade. Rob also used the recipe from First Preserves which he made at one of my marmalade masterclasses. This year he scored 20/20, a Gold Award winner with his marmalade displayed with the other Gold Award winners at Dalemain. A fantastic achievement for the designer and photographer of First Preserves.

Watching the Professionals

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:49:51 +0000

As the seventh year of the World’s Original Marmalade Festival approaches, spare a thought for the judges who will be tasting and evaluating hundreds of jars of marmalade for the Marmalade Awards.
As a WI Preserves Judge, I have been trained to use a scheme with a maximum of 20 marks. The external standard of the jar has two marks. I look for a clear glass jar, sealed with a new twist top lid or a waxed disc and cellophane cover. The jar should be labelled with the name of the marmalade and the date it was made. The internal standard of the jar has 5 marks for colour. It should be even and characteristic of the fruit. A bright colour throughout the jar without discolouration at the top of the jar. There are 6 marks available for the quality (consistency, texture and quantity). For marmalade, I look for a jellified consistency, not stiff and not runny. Set but spreadable with evenly sliced tender peel. No air bubbles or scum. The peel should be evenly sliced, preferably by hand. If the peel has not been cooked sufficiently before the sugar is added, it will be chewy or tough. The jar should be full with a gap of 3mm from the top. When potting marmalade, fill the jar to the brim. As it cools and sets, the marmalade will shrink slightly. Finally, 7 marks are available for flavour and aroma. The contents of the jar are smelt to test the aroma. It should be free of taint or mustiness. The flavour should be a balance of the fruit and sugar used in the recipe.
As well as marking each jar, I also like to provide a comment. This will include what is great about the jar of marmalade and what could be improved. I aim to provide constructive comments which will encourage exhibitors to enter a competition the following year. If time is limited, I like to provide general comments about the class as a whole. At Taunton Flower Show last year I had 179 jars to judge in two hours, which meant individual comments were not possible. Judging is a very humbling experience. I always learn something new from a different recipe or the way the jars are presented and labelled. Entering competitions are fraught with anxiety: what will the judge think of my jar, have I cooked the fruit for long enough, is it set or over-set? Therefore, I regularly enter competitions to maintain my standard and remind myself to consider the feelings of the competitor before I put pen to paper.

Marmalade Meal in Sussex

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:56:03 +0000

How do independent booksellers compete with the on-line giants? One way is to stage creative events with other businesses. Sara Bowers from Steyning Bookshop, organised a Marmalade Meal and Talk event on January 26th at The Sussex Produce Company. All 50 tickets were sold for a gourmet and informative evening. It started with a two course meal of Confit duck leg three fruit marmalade with a fricassee of new potatoes, baby carrots, local leeks and celeriac. The dessert, a delicious bread and butter pudding made with artisan croissants, laced with Seville orange marmalade and served with crème anglaise. After the meal Sara asked me a series of questions about the features of award-winning marmalades, how marmalades are judged in competitions and why men are keen on making marmalade. Many of the audience had made marmalade and they asked very searching questions about fruit varieties, how to make Kumquat marmalade and why granulated sugar is my preferred choice of sugar in sweet preserves. The evening ended with a book signing. The following day at Brighton Station I bought some Ave Maria Sevilles- the best organic Sevilles. When I made marmalade from them a few days later, their pectin properties were fantastic. It seems the later deliveries of this variety in January and February make top quality marmalade.

Wells WI demonstration evening

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:59:57 +0000

Last month I went to Wells WI as a speaker for the evening with Robert Walster who designed my book, First Preserves. See our review in thisissomerset and wellspeople.

Marmalade Master classes and Reviews

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:37:41 +0000

Members of Wells WI started their 2012 programme with the topics of Self-publishing and Design  and how to make award-winning marmalades. Rob Walster, the designer and photographer of First Preserves described the different stages of publishing a book with an amusing and informative presentation highlighting the differences between a book published by a large publisher and an individual. I talked about writing First Preserves and the sharp learning curves I experienced being a writer and a promoter of the book. The audience were full of questions during the final part of the evening when I made Seville orange marmalade, using the recipe from First Preserves.
Residents in Chiswick are making marmalade to enter into a Marmalade Competition during the Bedford Park Festival in June. In 2011 I helped judge the competition and this year I was invited to give a marmalade masterclass. This was held in the beautiful hall of St Michael and All Angels Church. 50 adults watched me demonstrate the different stages of making marmalade and were very enthusiastic with their questions and comments. The equipment for the demonstration was provided by Whisk cookshop. They have become a stockist of First Preserves. With the combined sales of tickets and the jars of marmalade made on the night, the organisers raised a significant amount for the Festival’s charities.
Hot on the heels of Carolyn Hart’s review in the Telegraph, Mark Taylor has written a glowing review about First Preserves in the Bristol Evening Post and the Western Daily News.
Event photography by David Beresford

Daily Telegraph – Book of the week

admin — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:00:35 +0000

Food news by Carolyn Hart in the Daily Telegraph, 14th January included a prominent review of First Preserves.  With examples of the stunning photography by Rob Walster of Big Blu Design, readers are told the book is  the source to go to for a beginner. The Seville orange recipe from the book is included.  Here is an expanded version of my recipe which makes approx 2.25kg.

Seville Orange Marmalade
675g (1lb 8oz) Seville oranges  
1 Lemon 
1.4kg (3lb) granulated, cane sugar 
3 pints water.

Method
Juice the oranges and pour the juice with the water into a large, lidded pan with a capacity of 7 litres. Remove the inner membranes and pips from the oranges.
 Juice the lemon and add the juice to the pan. Put the membranes and the lemon shell into a food processor or mini-chopper and chop finely.
 Put the chopped membranes, chopped lemon and pips into a 30cm x 30cm piece of thin cotton muslin. Tie this up with string and add to the pan.
 Slice the oranges and add to the pan. If possible, leave the pan overnight to allow the fruit to soak. Next day, bring the lidded pan to boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for two hours. The peel should be tender. Remove the muslin bag and squeeze it out back into the pan.
Warm the sugar in a low oven. Add the sugar to the pan and dissolve. Bring to a rolling boil and test for a set after 5-7 minutes. Leave to cool for 7 minutes. Pour into sterilised jars and cover with new twist top lids.