Chatback number 20

[bramble]

See what you mean about the window box Snoop....

Good evening all.
A lovely day here, bright and breezy.
Played pitch and putt for most of it, it's good to be outdoors.
Our club has had so many new members join since this lockdown.
Nothing garden related done today other than some watering.
Have a good evening all.

[Bren In Pots]

Any recommendations on jar sizes based on your experience? I'm going to buy the Weck style (glass lids with a rubber gasket, held in place by metal clips in the canner but the clips are removed for storage). There are two of us, but I'd bottle fruit for crumbles and other puds in winter, soups and veg. I don't make jams but I might start making chutneys.

This is probably no help but I've been re-using screw top jars the kind of thing you buy containing pickled onions, or sausages they hold around a pint and after sterilising both jars and lids they work out fine.

[Nicos]

Evenin n’alln’all

no painting for me today after all...but managed to do quite a bit of mowing. Still more to do but it’s looking lovely and lush again after such a dry summer.

Bren...no mention of cider in your list. You could then make cider vinegar....and then flavoured vinegars for Xmas pressies!
Have you tried leathers? A friend of mine makes them and they are lovely.
I’ve also preserved fruit such as plums in apple juice by hot water bathing them. The apple juice is then delish too having taken up some of the flavour of the preserved fruit.

Snoop ...I use Le Parfait jars for preserving in a hot bath. The one litre ones are the most useful...the smaller ones lose space because
you mustn’t over fill them. They are good for chutneys though.

I have had a few accidents not using tempered glass jars and it’s such a waste. Maybe I’ve just been unlucky?
I’d not heard of Weck jars ...but they are a similar principle as Le Parfait jars.I suggest you get a stock of seals in as once heated they shouldn’t be reused for heating again.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

last to bed and first to rise?

Its going to be a lovely day weather wise so I’m going to get some domestics out of the way, maybe a bit of painting then I hope to sit outside and read!!!! Not done that for a few weeks and I just feel like some guilt free downtime in the sunshine!

Ha....we’ll see A lass can dream can’t she?

First things first...who’s up for a brew?

[mothhawk]

Morning Nicos and all.

I'm ready for the second brew of the day. Not got much on today except prepping Sunday lunch, then I might give an empty polyhive a fresh coat of paint to spruce it up for next year. And more runner beans need picking. It's been a really good year for them in spite of moving them in June so there was room to have the new fence done.

Have a restful Sunday everyone - no mad partying before the 6 people only restrictions please.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning, looks like being a good day to be out and about just a bit of a breeze.

Bren...no mention of cider in your list. You could then make cider vinegar....and then flavoured vinegars for Xmas pressies!
Have you tried leathers? A friend of mine makes them and they are lovely.
I've also preserved fruit such as plums in apple juice by hot water bathing them. The apple juice is then delish too having taken up some of the flavour of the preserved fruit.

Nicos I don't like Cider but SiL does so they've had a few trugs full of apples to make some, not tried apple vinegar will have to look it up thanks, but I've made a fair bit of fruit leathers they do freeze fine.
I've asked for the apple jam Nicktub makes so thats something else to try.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Thanks for the advice, Bren and Nicos. Le Parfait, Kilner and Ball Mason jars are really expensive here. Weck are cheap in comparison and the only thing that needs replacing is the rubber seal, anywhere between 8 and 12 cents apiece. So not expensive. You have some great Weck suppliers in France, Nicos. Six 1-litre jars with lids and seals (not clips) cost 8.75 euros at https://www.mcm-europe.fr/fr/bocaux-...on-inclus.html, for example. The biggest problem for me is envisioning what kind of size I might be interested in, having never done any preserving. I'll start with some litres and maybe some smaller ones just to see. Thanks, again.

Weather bright and due to hit low 30s today. Friend coming for distanced supper and plenty to do before he arrives. Thank goodness for the freezer...

Catch you later, everyone. Hope you all have a lovely Sunday.

[bramble]

Good morning all and happy Sunday.
A lovely sunny morni g but quite breezy here on the coast.
Off out for the day on a misty trip.
Have a good day all.

[burnie]

Morning, typical weather here again, when the sun first rises above the sea it's glorious start to the day, then it climbs into the sky, disappears into the clouds and we don't see it again all day.

[peanut]

Morning, typical weather here again, when the sun first rises above the sea it's glorious start to the day, then it climbs into the sky, disappears into the clouds and we don't see it again all day.

Haha! You do have a way with words Burnie!

[burnie]

When I first got up I was thinking sun tan cream, I'm now thing fleece or maybe a rain coat lol, the old saying of us getting all four seasons in one day is very true on occasion.

[mothhawk]

Not that I'm trying to make you jealous Burnie, but here in the Midlands it's 21C and clear blue sky.

[Bren In Pots]

It’s the same here Mothhawk nice walking weather with just a bit of a breeze.

[bramble]

Believe it or not, Dublin hit a temp of 23degs today.

Hoping for a good tomorrow but think those kind of days are numbered.
Have a good night all.

[greenishfing]

Amazing weather here today. As I left the allotment the temperature was nearly 26°C. It felt quite tropical (sweaty).