Removing the core bits from tayberries

[Hazel at the Hill]

Does anyone have any top tips for getting the woody middle bit out of tayberries? It's proving to be a very tedious job! When you pick rasps the middle bit stops on the plant, but not so with the tayberries.

[Bayleaf]

Do you core blackberries as well?
The core being attached or not when the berry is ripe is a feature of the particular fruit - raspberries the ripe fruit parts from the core, backberries it stays with the fruit.

[FoxHillGardener]

I leave the core in with tayberries, just eat the lot

[Flummery]

Just pull the little crown of greenery off Hazel. The core is part of the fruit and fine to eat. I eat them fresh like this or made into jam. In neither case do I try to 'dig out' the middle.

[sarraceniac]

Just pull the little crown of greenery off Hazel. The core is part of the fruit and fine to eat. I eat them fresh like this or made into jam. In neither case do I try to 'dig out' the middle.

Can you post your jam recipe please? I got a tayberry in winter and though it won't fruit this year it is looking fine and I look forward to blackberry/rasperry jam in 2010. My 2 favourite jams together. But I do need a Yorkshire recipe.

[Flummery]

Your wish is my command! (Up to a point!)

Tayberry Conserve (That's 'posh' for Jam!)

1lb sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lb tayberries.

(You can double or treble this is course, as long as your jam pan is big enough)

Put sugar and lemon juice into the pan and stir over a very low heat till sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add berries and stir around gently so they are all covered in the syrup. Leave to stand for 15 - 30 minutes. Return the pan to the heat and cook steadily for 5 - 7 minutes or until the setting point is reached. Allow ro cool for a time, stir to distribute the fruit then pot into hot jars and seal.