It's time to prepare the preserves for the winter. Are you sure you have it all?
Do you have lots of beautiful fruit and vegetables and are you thinking of making jars ready to use for all the months to come?
Very well, first of all though, check if you have the necessary equipment.
The preparation of jams, preserves and jams requires a lot of patience, a lot of care and above all the right equipment.
Here, then, is what you cannot do without if you are about to make preserves.
First quality ingredients
Obviously, to prepare a good product you have to use the best raw material. Fruit and vegetables must be carefully selected and in season. Wash everything well and if you can choose untreated products.
Glass jars
Unmissable since they will be the containers of all your delicacies. We recommend the classic ones with the lid. Those with the hook and the gasket on the edge, on the other hand, are to be avoided because they can deteriorate over time.
Remember that the jars must be boiled in a pot full of water for an hour, allowed to dry very well and then used.
Dishcloths
You must have some clean and possibly white tea towels available as you will need some to separate the glass jars in the pot while they are sterilized and others to dry them upside down before filling.
Two large pots with high sides
One pot will be used for sterilization first of the empty and then the filled jars, while the other will be the one you will use to prepare preserves and jams.
A wooden spoon
If you are about to prepare a jam or marmalade, remember that you will have to mix it for a long time. The best tool is the classic long and wide wooden spoon. Many prefer silicone straps, but we prefer the old grandma method. Absolutely avoid metal equipment that can damage the pot.
Knives & Co.
Each knife has its own function and therefore do not use one at random. Choose the right ones for peeling and cutting fruit and vegetables. For this kind of work, the ideal is a not too long knife with a smooth and sharp blade. Even a potato peeler could come in handy if you need to prepare zucchini or carrots in oil or vinegar and you need to get long and thin slices. A large-hole grater, on the other hand, could be useful for praying julienne vegetables.
Potholders
You must always have some on hand. You will need them to better handle the boiling jars just sterilized.
Labels
Once the preserves are prepared, remember to label them. Write on each label what is in the jar and when it was prepared. Typically the expiry date of these products is 12 months.
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