Prickly, green, hairy and sour

Gooseberries get a bad press these days – prickly, green, hairy and sour. Once upon a time they were a medicinal fruit and more recently the prize berry of the Victorian kitchen garden; but that was before 1905 when American Mildew came to Europe and growing Gooseberries has never been the same since. If your Gooseberry crop escapes the yucky mildew, the bush may well be defoliated by the horrid little lavae of the Gooseberry Sawfly.

Maybe this year we have the long, cold winter and dry spring to thank – our Invicta Gooseberry bush has no Sawfly lavae nor mildew. We had a bumper crop of perfect Gooseberries – three cheers! Jam, I had to make Gooseberry jam! If you're a novice jam-maker, this is the jam to start with – it's easy-peasy and therefore very satisfying indeed.

Here's how I made Gooseberry jam last Friday evening . . .

Pick your Gooseberries

'Nub' them (that's Fen-dialect for topping and tailing)

avoiding any wildlife!

Cook with a little water,
add preserving sugar (same weight as you had of gooseberries)
and boil hard for about 15 minutes

If your gooseberries are young the jam will be olive green
older sweeter berries produce a coppery orange preserve

Test for set (dribble a little on a cold saucer
and see if it wrinkles when you tip the saucer)

Pot up into sterilised jars and label

Mm-mm-mmmmmm!!

Yum!
I think Gooseberry jam is up there with the very, very best!