2016... So far this year I have preserved.....

[Tripmeup]

Did some (apparently) Belizean Chilli Sauce - nice initial carrot taste and then the chilli kick
Pickled Beetroot
More pickled chillies

[Mrs Bee]

A jar of pickled cucamelons.

[Mrs Bee]

2 jars of pickled cucamelons
3 jars of apple and walnut cheese
9 jars of bread and butter pickle
1 bowl of cranberry and apple mincemeat
1 bowl of bog standard mincemeat

[SusieG]

Where do you buy your glass screw-cap jars from, please ......?

Looks very tasty allyby.......

[Guest]

^^^I don't buy jars (save ones at home and ask friends and family) I just buy new lids for them from @m@zon.

[Ms-T]

Silly Q
How do you pickle cucamelons,do you have to do anything to them,before you jar them..first time growing them and they have gone mad.

[allyby]

Where do you buy your glass screw-cap jars from, please ......?

Looks very tasty allyby.......

Just look up Kilner Jars on ebay.

[Mrs Bee]

Where do you buy your glass screw-cap jars from, please ......?

Looks very tasty allyby.......

If you want to get some kilner style jars to reuse I found Ikea's to be the cheapest.
And I get all my glass jars from Pattesons glass. I have to buy new as I sell preserves.
I make preserves for the house from recycled jars left by all the neighbours, and then get new lids from Pattesons. I think they do jars like the one shown by Allyby

[Guest]

I have to buy new as I sell preserves.

Have you always known that to be the case? I ask as I am sure someone on here started and was told it was fine to reuse jars but not lids by whoever the governing body was that passed her kitchen as fit for purpose.

[allyby]

If you want to get some kilner style jars to reuse I found Ikea's to be the cheapest.
And I get all my glass jars from Pattesons glass. I have to buy new as I sell preserves.
I make preserves for the house from recycled jars left by all the neighbours, and then get new lids from Pattesons. I think they do jars like the one shown by Allyby

You can also purchase new lids and seals for Kilner Jars but your able to use them up to 10 times before you need to replace.

[Mrs Bee]

Have you always known that to be the case? I ask as I am sure someone on here started and was told it was fine to reuse jars but not lids by whoever the governing body was that passed her kitchen as fit for purpose.

It wasn't always the case but now you cannot legally sell preserves to the public in recycled jars. I went it to it very carefully before I started, 'cos I didn't want any trouble with the health inspectors. I am not sure when the regulations came into being but it has been so for at least 7 years which is when I started.

I did investigate trying to sell with the WI markets but they are now run by a company, who deal with the insurance and you have to use their labels. And quite frankly the one I went to was really seedy and not the lovely WI market stalls I remember buying from.
I think this has been since the regulations.

So I decided to go solo and sell products that I would be pleased to buy and eat myself.

I had a really lovely lady inspect my kitchen who went out of her way to help and advise me.

And she gave me a 5 star food safety rating.

You also need to list the ingredients in your preserves, highlighting the allergens and include the sugar content of the jams and jellies. That isn't difficult, you just use a refractometer to measure the sugar when the jam has cooked to a set.

It also helps to confirm the set that you want.

I know there are lots of people out there who don't follow the regulations but they should be careful because food safety inspectors regularly attend events and car boot sales.

As my lady said you might get away with it for a while but we will find you in the end and it can work out expensive if you are fined. And I was at an event and was checked on. Luckily I play it by the book and was squeaky clean in more ways than one.

And really, if you think about it, if you are buying from someone using recycled jars you don't know what has been in them, and if they have been properly cleaned. It riles me when I see people selling in recycled jars, all different sizes, with pretty cloth covers to hide the reused lids that they are also using and probably from uninspected kitchens.

And let's face it some people have different levels of hygiene although I am sure that everyone here practises the highest level of hygiene when cooking.

[vixylix]

Sorry, daft question... why do you need to buy new lids? Is that just for selling products on or do you need to do that when making things for home use too?

[Guest]

I do it as personal preference. I hate promoting what was in the jars, often the lids don't come clean or they get damaged and I don't feel it is worth the risk of reusing and spoiling the preserves I have made.

Edit: It wasn't a daft question MoM

[Small pumpkin]

Today 8 jars of everything chutney
Yesterday another 4 large portions of roasted tomato sauce

[Mrs Bee]

Silly Q
How do you pickle cucamelons,do you have to do anything to them,before you jar them..first time growing them and they have gone mad.

Sorry. Only just spotted this.

You take your cucamelons in a bowl and a skewer and sit down with something interesting on the telly.
You then make several holes in each cucamelon with the skewer.

Make sure the TV is interesting. LOL

Then sprinkle the cucuamelons with salt and leave over night.
In the morning drain and rinse very well. taste one to see if they are too salty and if they are soak in some water for 10 minutes or so.

Pack in sterilised glass jars, cover with flavoured vinegar and put a lid on. Leave for a couple of months.