Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Ponderings while ´in the zone`....


So as faithful, or even unfaithful, ISFTS blog readers may know, I was busy making Quince Jelly earlier this month.

Much time in that pursuit is given to cutting up the quince.  Stress free work that can put one ´in the zone’ so to speak.  And there in my zone, did n´t I think many thoughts, not particularly relevant to each other, or to the work at hand.  Indeed truth be told the aforementioned thoughts might be considered by some as not particularly relevant full stop!
 
BUT, that won´t stop me sharing the aforementioned in-the-zone-while-cutting-up-quince thoughts with you anyway!  - Whether you peruse them or not is your choice.
1)  Some old adages are very true, while others are definitely not.
 For example the saying: A stitch in time saves nine.  

This adage is true at every level, be it regarding a ripped hem, a broken computer, a wonky bike, or a bad relationship:  The sooner one attends to a problem the easier it is to fix it.  Or if need be, to change the computer/bike/relationship etc.
No more to be said on that.

But other adages are nothing short of dangerous to say out loud: For example: There is no smoke without fire. 

True if Seppt Platter had been witnessed furtively leaving FIFA headquarters in the middle of the night sometime between 2003 and 2007, especially if he was carrying a bag that could contain say €6,7 million.   Well one could perhaps rightly deduce that ´there is no smoke without fire` as to what happened to the illegally procured and now missing €6,7 million. 

But on the other hand what happened to an acquaintance of mine; a diabetic that required regular injections of insulin.   Word got out that she was a drug addict because she was seen injecting herself, and of course one said… ´there is no smoke without fire`.  In this case however ´the fire was a different house´.    This very dangerous assumption caused a lot of harm.

Now this next thought I can only say out loud because I do not have children.

2)  Parents often have a favorite child and deny it. 
Yes, for generations, many parents the world over have been denying they have a favorite child.  But it is true.  And it can be seen perhaps best by total strangers when they see the family interacting.  But worse it can be also be seen by the unfavored child/children. 

The parents deny the feeling of favoritism.  Indeed I have no doubt  many of these parents would be horrified if it was as apparent to them as it was to the rest of the world that they favour one child over the rest.  

But feelings don´t keep rules, nor are they moral judgments, they are simply feelings.  The problem is when the feelings are not accepted and actions not taken by said parents to make sure their offspring never find out.

I only know of one parent who admitted to me they had a favorite child.  To make sure none of his children knew he was a bit more stringent on ´the favorite´.   She always complained that she was the least favored, (perhaps not ideal, but better than it being plain as day that she was the favorite).  All six children are full grown now and not one of them has a clue.  At least if they have, they have not aired it.

3) The wonder of medicine is gob smacking!
    I am not even talking about the hugely amazing stuff, like organ and limb transplants, only because I cannot get my head around that hugely amazing stuff. 

No I mean, relatively speaking, the ´simpler’ medical wonders.  For example vaccines, anti-biotics, tetanus shots and other great stuff.  Hardly a problem to take, but can save your life, or at least a very sick and painful stretch on the bed.  

 I could sit and think about that amazement for three cups of tea I could. 

Now I am heading off to the kitchen cupboard again to gloat in awe at my 8 jars of quince jelly! 
I wish you in the meantime my dear reader, a delightful day.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Making Quince Jelly and Winning Brownie Points.


So you regular readers know the Hausfrau Róisín ´Art und Weise´on matters housekeeping.  

If you are newer to ISFTS you can link here for details on same:
http://irishstewforthesoul.blogspot.de/2013/11/hausfrau-roisin-housekeeping-tip-of-day.html

Making quince jelly is my favorite project of the moment.  Quince jelly is full of goodness, tasty, inexpensive AND easy to make.  So loads of vitamins and ´loads ´a brownie points all in the one jar so to speak.

How to make Quince Jelly

You will need:

1. Quince
Buy at local garden or farm produce store.  Any amount you care for.  I suggest two kilos for a newbie to jelly and jam making.

2. Sugar specifically for Jelly and Jam making   1 Kilo.  
Here in Germany, one can buy sugar with pectin.  I never make jelly before so I don´t know if you can get this sugar anywhere else. 

3. Lemon – juice of.  Optional.

In addition and very important:
4. A juice extractor. 
I got a loan of one from my mother-in-law.  If you can´t get a juice extractor, then cancel the project unless you love hard work.   – The extractor looks a bit like a big cooking saucepan with different layers.   

Without this extractor I would not bother trying this business of quince jelly making.  Even Jamie Oliver could not make jelly making easy without this juice extractor.  If Jamie can´t make it easy most of you, my dear readers, could not either… (Go on shock me and tell me I am wrong!)

5. Jam Jars - sterilized
About 8 x 500 grams jars.  Always have one or two extra just in case.

To sterilize jam jars al la Hausfrau Róisín:
The night before you are cooking, wash jars and lids in sudsy how water. 
Rinse. 
Pour boiling water into each jar and lid. (I go with one kettle of water pouring from one jar to the next.) 
Put jam jars on a tray in the oven.
The next day before cooking the jelly turn oven on low, put jam jars on a cooking tray and let them warm up in the oven until you are ready to pour in the juice.


Preparations the night before.

- Rub off fuzzy bits (you´ll see what I mean when you buy the quince).

- Wash quince.  Cut out any bad bits.

- Cut into bit size pieces. 

-  Fill bottom container of extractor to about ¾ full with hot water.  Simmer for about two hours, give or take.
Check every so often esp. if you are a newbie, to make sure there is still water in the lower tray of the juice extractor.  A right mess if you get that one wrong!

-  Put cut up chunks of quince into top layer of extractor.  Simmer for about two hours, give or take.
-  Leave stand overnight so the juice from the quince can drain out.

-  Pour the juice that has collected over night out of the ´thing gummy tube´- you´ll understand if you have an extractor, you won´t if you don´t.  In which case you are likely not bothering to make this jelly, so it is not a problem anyway.

-  Measure whatever quantity of juice you have collected and put into a pot to cook. 

-  Put in half that quantity of the special jam sugar.  I.e. if you have 1000 grams of juice add 500 grams of the special sugar.

-  Add juice of lemon.

-  Cook in bubbly mode THEY SAY for four minutes, I say for more like ten minutes.  Stirring occasionally. 

-  So after about ten minutes pour into the warm jam jars and screw close immediately.

And there you have it folks.  There I am with my eight jars of quince jelly and swimming in brownie points!