Happy New Year 2014

Wishing you a Happy New Year 2014, with prosperity, good health and happiness to all.

We ended our 2013 year here with a bit of the unexpected !  Ian was injured seriously and has one hand injured to the point of needing to take a complete unscheduled break (see 3 January post on placeandtimedesign.blogspot.com.au to see more about this unsked break !).  Thankfully it was not more critical or life threatening, but it was scary, and  loss of good use of a hand to weeks or months of recovery time is a pretty big impact for us (Ian is always busy and uses his hands for his work).

So what to do ?  Well, New Years Eve turned out to be a bit of a quiet evening as you might imagine, with quiet rest and pain killers for Ian.  As for me, I had good fruit on hand and set about to prepare it for the next day.  Something to do while counting down last hours of the year !  January 1st saw me making what has turned out to be a stellar batch of jam !  Apricot-Rose Jam, recipe credit to Blue Chair Jam Cookbook, an awesome reference to follow either literally or use for inspiration.  I don't always (I am often more an "inspired-by" sort of cook !), but this time followed the recipe pretty much to the letter, though with a scaled down quantity of fruit, suiting what I had available in peak condition.  And it has come out well indeed.  Here is a short photo journal of its production.

Apricots macerate in sugar
with lemon juice overnight
under wrap and in fridge

Cracked the apricot pits
to get the soft almond like
kernel inside.  Chopped up
and put in tea strainer to
cook in the jam mix

My gel set test worked great--its perfect !
(used freezer method)

Jam is ready.    Take off the heat now.

jam in jar, jar edge cleaned,
lid about to go on

The end result of the jam was outstanding.   Bright beautiful flavour, perfect colour, and excellent texture and set too.  A good result and sign for a fresh start in 2014, under a New Moon, and channeling healing thoughts and reminders about what is most important.   Ian's injury is healing and now we give it time and rest.  A good time to take stock and clear the decks for the next stage of things around here.   More soon !

Kim's Barossa Apricot-Rose Jam