Grow Your Own Magazine

Though wine is nice in my view a better, quicker and much tastier use for any spare fruit and veg is to buy a good quality juicer and drink the results. Juice is what transports fruit and veg from the plot into a sumtuous, pleasurable experience and its so healthy.
Forget all that stuff from the supermarket, in my opinion once its bottled its over. Drink it as soon as it lands in the glass, it's heaven. Even a simple apple juice bears no resemblance to anything you will have tried before.
If you need recepies (though I just go with instinct) try Nigel Slaters 'Thirst' its excellent and contains advice on what juicer to buy.
Enjoy!

You know, I used to have a juicer ages ago but never got the knack of the right combinations, and they always tasted a bit 'gritty'...

Not sure what I was doing wrong...? I used to use apple, orange etc....

to get rid of the grittyness if you dont like it, after you have juiced, strain the juice through a piece of fabric. the gritty bits are just little tiny bits of the fruit you juiced, I personnaly like them.
The You Are What You Eat Cookbook has soem good fruit and veg juices

That's a good cookbook!

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Andrewo
www.andrewoldham.co.uk

I can recomend Micheal van Straten's book Superjuice. Some lovely recipes, even some with booze. yum

Rather than buying a juicer that crushes the fruit / veg, try a steam juicer. I bought one in France on Tiggers recomendation and must say that it beats the other types hands down and as the juice is pasteurised as its steamed you can bottle it in sterile bottles and store it.

If you make jellies its just perfect for them as the juice does not need straining as its perfectly clear, you just add the required amount of sugar and boil away. I did 4kg of apples and got just under 4pints of juice and all that was left was a bit of skin and core.

They are the bees knees

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated Monday 28th April at 11.50hrs

how do juice steamers work i,ve seen them in mags etc

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Its a three part pan, the bottom holds water, the middle holds any juice and this has a spout from the bottom part which goes into the top where the fruit is (its like a cullender. The steam rises and bursts all of the fruits cells realeasing every drop of juice and leaving just a pile of cellulose behind which goes nicely into the compost. As its very nearly at boiling point it pasteurises the juice so you can bottle it straight into sterilised bottles.

They are really very good

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated Monday 28th April at 11.50hrs

pigletwillie,
The steam juicer sounds very interesting do you know where I can get more info as I have never come across them before?
Thanks
Caroline

Caroline, saw something similar on the web at Ascott Smallholding - might be worth looking at!

Anyone any idea why none of the main juicer sites even mention a steam juicer. Is the result less good for you? Do you know where I can find more info?
Thanks

Caroline - Ascott have got steam juicer - the link is www.ascott.biz then just search for steam juicer. Seems to be the same as the one that piglet has got.

Caroline,

thay are far better than the electrical ones that just squeeze fruit and veg. I have a Mehu Meija and one made by Vigo which are available here, however I bought mine in France for 49 euros (£35) which is about half price.

If you want to make fruit jelly or cordials they are the business as you dont need to hang the juice up in a muslin bag. As for apple juice etc you can bottle it as mentioned before.

I wouldnt be without mine.

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated Monday 28th April at 11.50hrs

Vigo have a website it's www.vigopresses.co.uk

Re the juicer,

today I converted a trug of redcurrants from fruit to 6 x 1lb jars of redcurrant jelly in an hour and a quarter. Pictures to follow.

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated Monday 28th April at 11.50hrs

Begining to get a yen to try one for myself! Sounds like good things could issue forth from the kitchen!

pictures as promised

__________________
Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated Monday 28th April at 11.50hrs

Wow! That looks lovely!

I was windering what to do withthe redcurrants I've got

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

That looks beautiful, I think that I have to invest in a steamer. I could see the red currants easily converted into wine.
Regards
Don Vincenzo