Catherine's Mt Franklin work

Catherine Tait "Moonlight"

Lovely Artist

Catherine is a lovely recently disovered local artist that we owe a huge apology to for being soooo slack in getting this out..sorry!!

Catherine is from the Castlemaine area and has created some beautiful Mt Franklin pieces which we will put up shortly..enjoy

Hawthorn Jelly Recipe

Well Autumn is here, and I have been thinking about preserves and jellies, and I wanted to know more about Haw Jelly. After my other post about the varient Hawthorn blossoms,

http://mountfranklinannualpagangathering.blogspot.com/2010/11/hawthorn-may-tree.html

I could not help but notice the deep red haw berries while out in Central Victoria the other week, and thought I'd look for a recipe that makes Haw jelly.

I have never made this before, indeed I have never made any kind of jams or preserves, I leave that to my mother, but it would indeed be wonderful to be able to have the choice!

It says that with Hawthorn jelly, you can have cheese or meats, maybe like cranberry jelly...

Hawthorn Jelly

Step 1

Find a nice Hawthorn bush (Crataegus monogyna) laden with lovely red haws.

Step 2

Pick 1.5lbs (70 gms) of hawthorn berries (haws). This will make 1 jar of hawthorn jelly, so obviously if you need more jars, pick more fruit.

Make sure that you remove the stalks. A good way is to simply roll a clump of berries (stalks and all) in between your hands, and you’ll find the haws just roll off. It’s certainly easier than individually pulling off each stalk.

Step 3

Now wash your haws and then drain.

Step 4

Put the haws into a heavy saucepan, and cover with 1.5 cups of water.

Step 5

Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour. Mash the berries with a potato masher every 20 minutes.

Step 6

Now strain the mixture over night using some muslin or a jelly bag.

To keep the jelly clear do not squeeze the jelly bag, just let the juice drip. If you’re not bothered whether your hawthorn jelly is clear or not then squeeze away.

Step 7

For every 1 pint (570 mls) of juice measure out 1lb (45 gms) of sugar.

Step 8

Now squeeze the juice of 1 lemon.

Step 9

Mix the sugar and lemon juice into a heavy saucepan along with the hawthorn juice. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring continuously until the sugar has dissolved.

Now rapid boil for 10 minutes until …the jelly has reached setting point. This you can test by letting some cool on a saucer.

Step 10
Now skim off any foam from the top of the jelly liquid, and pour into sterilised, warm jars and screw on the lids.

Eat at will. There is no need to leave the hawthorn jelly for a month or so.

If you want to see image to image instructions, then you can go the website where I got this from - Eat Weeds - 'the Wild food guide to the edible plants of Britain' - http://www.eatweeds.co.uk/hawthorn-jelly-recipe

I am sure the whole website could provide some fascinating recipes if you had a good look...

http://www.eatweeds.co.uk/category/wild-food-recipes

Another website that looks interesting - Hedgerow Recipes - http://www.overthegardengate.net/garden/herbs/reci_hedge.asp where there are many recipes that include ingredients that you can find on the side of the road in rural Australia just as much as you could in rural Britain (this is one case where I don't think 100% badly of the Acclimatisation Society of the 18th and 19th centuries).

There is much to be gained from roadside fruits and flora as we also saw with the Elderflower Champagne recipe posted in late Dec on this blog - http://mountfranklinannualpagangathering.blogspot.com/2010/12/elderflower-champagne.html

and there is nothing better than feeling creative by making something edible from them (providing no poisoning has occurred to the plants - and you must always find out). I always feel when I pass an apple tree in the middle of nowhere, that surely they are here to be collected and used. The possibilities are endless....