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Christmas Gifts to Make Now From Your Summer Garden
FEBRUARY 2018
It may only be February, and 10 months until Christmas, but it's not too early to start making those delicious homemade treats everyone loves to use as gifts.
In fact now is the perfect time to use your abundance of garden produce to make pickles, jams, relishes and other preserves, not only for your own pantry, but to use as gifts throughout the year and for next Christmas.
If you don’t have an abundant garden this year, don’t worry (I don't - for the first time in years my garden is tiny). You can still make delicious gifts with summer fruits and vegetables and think how you'll love Christmas knowing you not only already have the gifts covered, but within your budget too! And no shopping in the heat and crowds.
If you don't have a garden, keep an eye out at your local greengrocer and buy up when he drops the prices on summer produce - usually when it's at its most abundant. Right now tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini are abundance and very cheap, so it's time to make sauces, chutney, relish and pickles. Likewise stone fruits, and they make delicious jams. Old fashioned favourites like apricot or peach are lovely, but make them extra special with the addition of other flavours to make a gourmet treat that costs a fraction of the bought equivalent.
Here's a list of six delicious things you can make now, for very little cost, that will make lovely gifts come Christmastine.
1. Potpourri. Begin the potpourri mix with dried flowers, petals, herbs and fruits from your garden. Add essential oil to intensify the fragrance. Package in cellophane bags from the craft store or recycled jars. Embellish with a pretty ribbon and a personalised label. If you have roses and lavender growing you have the basis of a beautiful pot pourri. Search
online for more specific instructions.
2. Jams. You can make traditional jams for less than half the price of a cheap bought jam and about a quarter the price of one of the gourmet brands. Jam making is easy, especially when you do single batches, and by starting now you have plenty of time to get them made. If you have the fruit and don't have the time, freeze it in one kilo lots, ready to thaw and cook or try your hand at freezer jam.
To make freezer jam, just mix 2 cups crushed fresh strawberries with 4 cups sugar, and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir one packet dry pectin into 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 1 minute. Stir the boiling water into the strawberries. Allow to stand for 3 minutes before pouring into jars or other storage containers. Place tops on the containers, and leave for 24 hours. Freeze and store frozen until ready to give.
3.Freezer salsa. Again, now is salsa season, but when you are time poor, standing over a pot, stirring, just won't work. Instead make a batch of freezer salsa. Take a stockpot or large saucepan. Chop finely 5 kilos tomatoes, 1 cup fresh coriander, 1 large onion, 5 cloves garlic, 5 seeded jalapenos, 3 habanera peppers (or to taste) and 1 green capsicum. Place all of the chopped vegetables in the pot. Add 1 tablespoon cumin, 3 tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons white vinegar and the juice of 3 limes. Bring to a boil, lower temperature and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Drain off excess liquid. Fill hot, sterilised jars, leaving 1cm head space. Cool. Add lids and freeze for up to one year. Makes about 9 cups salsa.
4. Seeds. If you save seeds from your favourite plants, create a great gift for another gardener by packaging some of those saved seeds in pretty seed packets (you can make your own or buy envelopes and decorate them). Take photos of the plants to include with the seeds for inspiration.
5. Zucchini pickles. What a great way to preserve boundless summer zucchini, and make ahead Christmas gifts. Place 1 kilo sliced zucchini and 2 medium onions, sliced, into a large non-aluminium pot; add 1/4 cup salt and enough water to cover. Let stand for 2 hours; drain well. In a4 litre saucepan, bring 2 cups white vinegar, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon
each celery seed and turmeric and 2 teaspoons mustard seeds to a boil; pour over the zucchini and onions. Let stand for 2 hours. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes; pack in hot sterilised jars and seal; process in a hot water bath according to jar manufacturer’s directions.
6. Six Minute Lemon Butter is always a favourite and is quick and easy to make when lemons are plentiful. Lemon butter doesn't normally keep out of the fridge and then must be consumed within a fortnight, but it can be made ahead of time and frozen. Just add a label saying it has to be kept refrigerated and consumed within two weeks after thawing. To thaw the lemon butter, place it in the fridge for 24 hours before using.
In fact now is the perfect time to use your abundance of garden produce to make pickles, jams, relishes and other preserves, not only for your own pantry, but to use as gifts throughout the year and for next Christmas.
If you don’t have an abundant garden this year, don’t worry (I don't - for the first time in years my garden is tiny). You can still make delicious gifts with summer fruits and vegetables and think how you'll love Christmas knowing you not only already have the gifts covered, but within your budget too! And no shopping in the heat and crowds.
If you don't have a garden, keep an eye out at your local greengrocer and buy up when he drops the prices on summer produce - usually when it's at its most abundant. Right now tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini are abundance and very cheap, so it's time to make sauces, chutney, relish and pickles. Likewise stone fruits, and they make delicious jams. Old fashioned favourites like apricot or peach are lovely, but make them extra special with the addition of other flavours to make a gourmet treat that costs a fraction of the bought equivalent.
Here's a list of six delicious things you can make now, for very little cost, that will make lovely gifts come Christmastine.
1. Potpourri. Begin the potpourri mix with dried flowers, petals, herbs and fruits from your garden. Add essential oil to intensify the fragrance. Package in cellophane bags from the craft store or recycled jars. Embellish with a pretty ribbon and a personalised label. If you have roses and lavender growing you have the basis of a beautiful pot pourri. Search
online for more specific instructions.
2. Jams. You can make traditional jams for less than half the price of a cheap bought jam and about a quarter the price of one of the gourmet brands. Jam making is easy, especially when you do single batches, and by starting now you have plenty of time to get them made. If you have the fruit and don't have the time, freeze it in one kilo lots, ready to thaw and cook or try your hand at freezer jam.
To make freezer jam, just mix 2 cups crushed fresh strawberries with 4 cups sugar, and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir one packet dry pectin into 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 1 minute. Stir the boiling water into the strawberries. Allow to stand for 3 minutes before pouring into jars or other storage containers. Place tops on the containers, and leave for 24 hours. Freeze and store frozen until ready to give.
3.Freezer salsa. Again, now is salsa season, but when you are time poor, standing over a pot, stirring, just won't work. Instead make a batch of freezer salsa. Take a stockpot or large saucepan. Chop finely 5 kilos tomatoes, 1 cup fresh coriander, 1 large onion, 5 cloves garlic, 5 seeded jalapenos, 3 habanera peppers (or to taste) and 1 green capsicum. Place all of the chopped vegetables in the pot. Add 1 tablespoon cumin, 3 tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons white vinegar and the juice of 3 limes. Bring to a boil, lower temperature and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Drain off excess liquid. Fill hot, sterilised jars, leaving 1cm head space. Cool. Add lids and freeze for up to one year. Makes about 9 cups salsa.
4. Seeds. If you save seeds from your favourite plants, create a great gift for another gardener by packaging some of those saved seeds in pretty seed packets (you can make your own or buy envelopes and decorate them). Take photos of the plants to include with the seeds for inspiration.
5. Zucchini pickles. What a great way to preserve boundless summer zucchini, and make ahead Christmas gifts. Place 1 kilo sliced zucchini and 2 medium onions, sliced, into a large non-aluminium pot; add 1/4 cup salt and enough water to cover. Let stand for 2 hours; drain well. In a4 litre saucepan, bring 2 cups white vinegar, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon
each celery seed and turmeric and 2 teaspoons mustard seeds to a boil; pour over the zucchini and onions. Let stand for 2 hours. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes; pack in hot sterilised jars and seal; process in a hot water bath according to jar manufacturer’s directions.
6. Six Minute Lemon Butter is always a favourite and is quick and easy to make when lemons are plentiful. Lemon butter doesn't normally keep out of the fridge and then must be consumed within a fortnight, but it can be made ahead of time and frozen. Just add a label saying it has to be kept refrigerated and consumed within two weeks after thawing. To thaw the lemon butter, place it in the fridge for 24 hours before using.