Jam, Jam, Jam, Jam - and a Giveaway!

If you think that you make first class jam, or even if you'd like to see just how your jam fares against other competitors, then you should enter

a global celebration of everyone's favourite spread. Now in its third year the competition, which invites jam entries from all over the world, has extended its categories to include team entries, the bairns’ jam, international flavours and a specific section for ladies of the SWRI and WI.


Inspired by the world-class, soft fruit fields of Blairgowrie and the berry pickers of years gone by THE WORLD JAMPIONSHIPS are here to encourage us to preserve our heritage, our recipes and to unite us all in our love of jam. Entries are open to homemakers and artisans, experts and beginners.

Participants are invited to send in, or drop off, their jam entries between May 14th and August 16th 2013. The jam entries will be judged by a small, expert group that includes a chef, two artisan jam producers, a home economics teacher and the resident SWRI expert (full details can be found at www.worldjampionships.com).


 Winners will be announced at Dundee Flower and Food Festival on Friday 6th September.




Jam recipes are included in "Of Culinary Matters", a recipe book written in the first century by the Roman, Marcus Gavius Apicius. The origins of jam however, remain one of our unsolved culinary mysteries as the precise culture and date of its arrival is a matter of historical debate! What we do know is that everyone’s favourite spread is mentioned throughout history and appears to have been enjoyed globally for many centuries.
Jam-making in Europe can be traced back to the 16th century Spaniards who had been preserving fruits for generations. In Britain, jams origins are in Tudor times where there are records of a preserve called a sucket, a cross between candied peel and jam.

Now you are ready to make your own jam, if you have never done so before don't be put off, it's really quite simple, just follow the instructions carefully.

BASIC RASPBERRY JAM RECIPE
900gms (2lbs) Fresh Raspberries 900gms (2lbs) Sugar (Makes approx 6x227g jars or 3x450g jars)
Method
Put the raspberries in your pan and cook for 3-4 mins until juice begins to run, bring to boiling point.Stir in the sugar and keep stirring, do not let the jam boil before the sugar has
dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, boil rapidly until set is reached. This can take as little as 5 mins.
Remove from heat once set has been reached, carefully pour into sterilised jars, filling to 4mm of top of jar. Cover with lid or wax disc and cellophane cover.


If you would like to learn how to make the kind of jam that wins prizes you need a copy of First Preserves 'Jams' an e-book by Vivien Lloyd.  This is a great little book full of excellent information about preserving, Vivien shares the knowldege she has gained as a WI judge and prize-winning preserve maker.  It includes Vivien talking you through the process of making Raspberry and Apple jam in a step-by-step embedded video, and a range of recipes.  There is even a chapter on Competitions which gives you all the information about what the judges are looking for, helping you to win prizes.


I have one copy of First Preserves Jams, worth £5.49 to giveaway. This is an enhanced e-book and only available to download to Ipad  if you win you will receive a code and can download the book via  Vivien Lloyd Preserves website.  If you don't win the giveaway and you still want to give your jams the best chance of winning the Jampionships or your local show, then you can buy First Preserves - Jams for £5.49 either the website or direct from Itunes
To win enter follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here are some links to the jam recipes that I have posted on my blog:
Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
Mixed Berry Jam
Gooseberry Jam
Pineapple Chilli Jam
Tomato Chilli Jam
Cranberry Jam 

Jam, Jam, Jam, Jam (with apologies to Monty Python).  I am supporting the Jampionships because I do not want the art of preserving to die out, I have enjoyed homemade jam all my life and would like future generations to have the same pleasure. Thanks to Vivien and Nigel Lloyd for the copy of First Preserves Jam to review and for providing a copy of this excellent e-book as a giveaway.

Labels: atisan jam, berries, Blairgowrie, Dundee Flower and Food Festival, First Preserves, giveaway, History of Jam, jam, jampionships, raspberry jam recipe, Scone Palace, SWRI, Vivienne Lloyd, WI, world jampionships

posted by Janice @ 08:00 5 Comments

The Royal Highland Show - A festival of food from Scotland

Foodie fans to feast at this year’s Royal Highland Show
Food and drink producers are busy preparing for what many regard as the most important four days of the foodie calendar – The Royal Highland Show. My first visit to the Highland Show was with my Mum and the ladies of the Scottish Women's Rural Institute better known as 'The Rural'. I would have been about 10 years old and can remember my friend and I went off on our own and got slightly lost, however we found our way back to the 'Rural' tent and were reunited with our Mums. My second visit was after I had become a member of the farming community and my son was in his buggy, the ground was wet and muddy and it was quite a trial getting around with the buggy, let's hope the weather is kinder this year! The food aspect of the Royal Highland Show has grown phenomenally since I last attended so I am really looking forward to seeing the demonstrations and tasting so much excellent Scottish produce.

Over 100 exhibitors will be joined by a host of the country’s best chefs and restaurateurs in an annual celebration of Scotland’s finest food and drink.

The event, with main show partner The Royal Bank of Scotland, welcomes an average of 170,000 visitors every year with the majority expected to visit the Food Hall over the four day event this June (20-23).
Reaching consumers and leading industry players, exhibitors will be hoping that their produce will benefit from the significant exposure the show platform presents. Last year, The Island Smokery on Orkney caught the eye of the Tesco buyer and the company is now ramping up its production after securing a deal to supply 45 Tesco stores across Scotland.
Innovation is key to the show, which has been successful in attracting new audiences while maintaining interest from those who return every year.
New for this year will be a showcase for The Highlands and Islands food and drink producers under the title ‘Land of Opportunity’.
Presenting a engaging stage for the region, ‘on the go’ street food will become a focus as four top chefs take to the Countryside Area to showcase the culinary delights from northern Scotland. Although relatively new in the UK, street food is eaten by an estimated 2.5 billion people a day across the world.

Taking on the theatre are famous chefs from the area including Bruno Birkbeck, Head Chef of the 3 AA Rosette Restaurant at the Torridon Hotel, Muji Rahman from the Michelin recognised Cafe India in Dingwall, David Coubrough, Head Chef at Cafe 1 in Inverness and Steven Devlin of the highly acclaimed Rocpool Restaurant in Inverness.Each chef has been tasked with creating a menu for the day using only Highlands and Islands sourced produce.
In the Food Hall, top attraction 120-seat Cookery Theatre, will return with a rolling programme of more than 30 all-action demonstrations over the four-day event. This year, the Cookery Theatre will be renamed the Natural Larder to pay homage to the Year of Natural Scotland celebrations.
Organised by acclaimed food critic Wendy Barrie with the support of theatre sponsors Event Scotland and The North Highland Initiative (NHI), this year’s President’s Initiative region, the Highlands and Islands, will take the fore.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said, “Scotland’s many glens and munros, deep lochs, dramatic seas and coastlines are home to a rich natural larder that entices visitors from all over the world. Scotland is an unspoilt environment and has a climate without extremes - the ideal conditions to produce superb, high quality Scottish food. The Year of Natural Scotland aims to celebrate the wealth of Scotland’s natural larder.”

NHI Chief Executive, Tom Campbell added: “In sponsoring the Cookery Theatre at this year’s Royal Highland Show, the North Highland Initiative will aim to communicate with retailers, the hospitality industry and consumers the quality of produce for shelves, menus and plates.”
In addition to top chefs from the Highlands and Islands the theatre programme will also feature; Carina Contini and Suzanne O'Connor from The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant; Neil Forbes from Café St Honoré; Henderson’s of Edinburgh celebrating 50 years in the business; Paul Wedgwood from his eponymous restaurant and Craig Wilson, Eat On The Green’s one and only ‘Kilted Chef’.
Wendy Barrie commented on the star-studded line up. She said: “Passionate as we all are about our national food culture it is great to have such a positive message to broadcast – low food miles, unquestionable provenance and great tastes! We are all looking forward to cooking the produce, meeting the visitors and contributing to making the Royal Highland Show the ‘greatest show on earth’.

“Chefs descend from Peebles to Torridon; East Lothian to Aberdeenshire, so magnetic is the pull of the Show. Over the four days the Theatre is a living community: sponsors and chefs; students and commis chefs, set builders and sound engineers, all working collaboratively together to pull off one of the most impressive showcases of Scotland’s world class larder.”
Sampling Scotland’s larder at Show will be The Royal Highland Show’s new show manager, Becky Elvin. She said: “The show provides a unique opportunity for food and drink suppliers to reach new audiences. We are committed to supporting new businesses as well as established players as food and drink production is an important economic driver for Scotland.

“The Royal Highland Show is an invaluable source for highlighting the whole chain from farm production to retail counter. That, coupled with some hand-picked exhibitors from other areas, makes the Food Hall and the Cookery Theatre a priority on any show visitor’s itinerary.”
Joining Highlands and Islands producers will be a who’s who of Scottish food and drink names from big hitters such as Mackies of Scotland, Macsween and the Spencerfield Spirit Company who were all named as winners at last year’s Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards.
East Lothian Food and Drink will also return to the show for the fourth year to highlight the breadth of local production from the region. Six exhibitors including Thistly Cross Cider, Glenkinchie Distillery, Scots’ Cheer, Yester Dairies, Hood’s Scottish Honey and the famous S Luca Ice Cream, will allure foodies to sample the best from the East.

The Royal Highland Show takes place between 20^th and 23^th June at Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh. Visit www.royalhighlandshow.org for more information.

I am posting this press release in return for a ticket to the Royal Highland Show, I have received no other payment.

 

Labels: Highlands and Islands, June, Land of Opportunity, RBS, Royal Highland Show, SWRI

posted by Janice @ 20:49 2 Comments

Random Recipes #7 - Acorn Eggs

 I cut my slice of bread into rounds with a pastry cutter, but you don't have to, it just looked prettier.  The other thing is that the cheese doesn't stay on the egg very well.  I do wonder if it might be better to toast the cheese on the bread, then put on the tomato and egg with a little sprinkling of cheese just to cover the top of the egg.



Allow 1 hardboiled egg and 1 tomato per person.  Cut tomatoes in half and grill lightly.  Place 1/2 egg, yok side down, on each half tomoato.  Sprinkle with grated cheese, set on a slice of bread and grill sufficiently to allow cheese to melt.  Serve very hot.

Labels: eggs, Random Recipes, Rural, SWRI, tomatoes

posted by Janice @ 15:25 17 Comments