The Simple Things - 04.2020

An intriguing flavour combo

• and low on the sugar
  for a jam using tart fruit

Makes about 5 quarter-of-

a-litre jars

1kg rhubarb stalks

500ml wheat beer

200g sugar

1 tsp of whole cloves

Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon

Dice the rhubarb into 1cm pieces

for quite a chunky texture (cut

smaller for a smoother jam). In

a large, heavy-bottomed pan,

bring the ingredients to a simmer.

Take off the heat, let cool and

refrigerate overnight. The next

day, strain the juices into a wide,

heavy-bottomed pan. Reserve

the rhubarb. Bring the juices

to a boil and cook, stirring

occasionally, for about 12 mins,

or until it reaches 100C. Add the

reserved rhubarb and bring back

to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring

occasionally, for another 10 mins

or until it nears 100C – the jam

should lightly coat the back

of a spoon. Carefully pour into

sterilised jars, wipe rims clean

and tightly close. Turn jars upside

down for 10 mins (so the air

passes through the jam and

is sterilised, too). Let cool and

store in a cool, dark place. It

will keep for at least a year.

PICK OF THE CROP

Rhubarb beer jam

I’m filled with gratitude every time I

harvest fresh fruits and veggies for our

table or pick f lowers for the vase. But what

makes me truly happy is seeing how our

edible garden has also become a paradise

for wildlife. The planting is very diverse

and many edible plants (such as herbs and

the bushes in our mixed hedge) are also

great for pollinators. In summer, just

standing among the plants of our food

forest listening to the zooming insects or

passing the pond and seeing all the frogs,

dragonf lies and newts makes me happy.

I’d always dreamed of growing peaches

and apricots, but because of their early

f lowering, the blossom is susceptible to

frost damage and can also suffer from leaf

curl in our wet climate. Thanks to choosing

disease-resistant varieties (‘Kioto’ and

‘Avalon Pride’), and creating a favourable

microclimate between our pond and a

sheltering hügel-bed (a large raised bed

of wood, branches and compost) to the

north-east, we were able to harvest the

first ripe fruit last year. A truly memorable

Simple pleasures

My greatest success

moment because the sun-warmed fruit

tasted so much better than anything

you can buy from a supermarket.

“What makes me truly happy is seeing

how our edible garden has also become

a paradise for wildlife”

What I’ve learnt

I see the garden as a process, so anything

that goes wrong is an opportunity to learn.

I don’t have many regrets, but one thing

I wish I’d done differently is planting

the mixed hedge with named varieties

of bushes such as Cornelian cherry, hazel,

saskatoon and sea buckthorn, instead

of the wild species I chose. It would have

been more expensive, but the quality

of the fruit and nuts would be better.

My advice to growers

Mulching (covering the soil with organic

matter) is the key to a low-maintenance

garden. Mulch reduces evaporation,

which means less watering and as it slowly

decomposes, nutrients are added to the

soil and the amount of humus increases.

A layer of mulch keeps the soil in good

condition and improves and protects its

structure. Besides, if we don’t cover the

soil, nature will do so by quickly sprouting

weeds. And that will keep you very busy!

Recipe from The Preservation

Kitchen by Paul Virant with

Kate Leahy (Ten Speed Press)

GROWING

Anintriguingflavourcombo

• andlowonthesugar
  fora jamusingtartfruit

Makesabout5 quarter-of-

a-litrejars

1kgrhubarbstalks

500mlwheatbeer

200gsugar

1 tspof wholecloves

Juiceandgratedzestof 1 lemon

Dicetherhubarbinto1cmpieces

forquitea chunkytexture(cut

smallerfora smootherjam).In

a large,heavy-bottomedpan,

bringtheingredientsto a simmer.

Takeofftheheat,letcooland

refrigerateovernight.Thenext

day,strainthejuicesintoa wide,

heavy-bottomedpan.Reserve

therhubarb.Bringthejuices

to a boilandcook,stirring

occasionally,forabout12 mins,

or untilit reaches100C.Addthe

reservedrhubarbandbringback

to a gentleboil.Cook,stirring

occasionally,foranother10 mins

or untilit nears100C– thejam

shouldlightlycoattheback

of a spoon.Carefullypourinto

sterilisedjars,wiperimsclean

andtightlyclose.Turnjarsupside

downfor10 mins(sotheair

passesthroughthejamand

is sterilised,too).Letcooland

storein a cool,darkplace.It

willkeepforat leasta year.

PICK OF THE CROP

Rhubarb beer jam

I’mfilledwithgratitudeeverytimeI
harvestfreshfruitsandveggiesforour
tableorpickf lowersforthevase.Butwhat
makesmetrulyhappyisseeinghowour
ediblegardenhasalsobecomea paradise
forwildlife.Theplantingisverydiverse
andmanyedibleplants(suchasherbsand
thebushesinourmixedhedge)arealso
greatforpollinators.Insummer,just
standingamongtheplantsofourfood
forestlisteningtothezoominginsectsor
passingthepondandseeingallthefrogs,
dragonf liesandnewtsmakesmehappy.

I’dalwaysdreamedofgrowingpeaches
andapricots,butbecauseoftheirearly
f lowering,theblossomissusceptibleto
frostdamageandcanalsosufferfromleaf
curlinourwetclimate.Thankstochoosing
disease-resistantvarieties(‘Kioto’and
‘AvalonPride’),andcreatinga favourable
microclimatebetweenourpondanda
shelteringhügel-bed(alargeraisedbed
ofwood,branchesandcompost)tothe
north-east,wewereabletoharvestthe
firstripefruitlastyear.A trulymemorable

Simple pleasures

My greatest success

moment because the sun-warmed fruit

tasted so much better than anything

you can buy from a supermarket.

“What makes me truly happy is seeing

how our edible garden has also become

a paradise for wildlife”

What I’ve learnt

I see the garden as a process, so anything

that goes wrong is an opportunity to learn.

I don’t have many regrets, but one thing

I wish I’d done differently is planting

the mixed hedge with named varieties

of bushes such as Cornelian cherry, hazel,

saskatoon and sea buckthorn, instead

of the wild species I chose. It would have

been more expensive, but the quality

of the fruit and nuts would be better.

My advice to growers

Mulching (covering the soil with organic

matter) is the key to a low-maintenance

garden. Mulch reduces evaporation,

which means less watering and as it slowly

decomposes, nutrients are added to the

soil and the amount of humus increases.

A layer of mulch keeps the soil in good

condition and improves and protects its

structure. Besides, if we don’t cover the

soil, nature will do so by quickly sprouting

weeds. And that will keep you very busy!

Recipe from The Preservation

Kitchen by Paul Virant with

Kate Leahy (Ten Speed Press)

GROWING