04 June 2008

Cooking that Lasts


I've been rediscovering jam making in recent weeks... something I used to do when the kids were younger (and I wasn't running a business). I'm just making small batches on weekends, even half-quantities of recipes, enough to make 3 or 4 jars of Tomato Chutney, Apple Cider Butter, Marmalade, or Mandarin & Apricot Jam (illustrated below) :



I think I've put my finger on why it's so satisfying (for me at least) - I put a lot of effort into cooking healthy meals, mostly from scratch, most days in the week. It's a lot of preparation, planning, shopping, and then effort in cooking and serving. In 15 minutes, 30 if I'm lucky, it's all gone! Which is the way it should be, of course.


But it's really really nice to put a bit of time into planning, preparing, and cooking, and produce something that will last for more than 15 minutes! Weeks, even! And, damn, it's delicious!!


Work on The Book is nearly there, but the deadline is being pushed back while we wait for the author to make the requested changes, which I'll then need to re-check. I'll happily never look at a Sudoku ever again (although I am pretty sh*t hot at solving them now, I must say, after all this enforced solving!)

Dotter is still pretty unwell, was back at hospital today for more tests. She's missing a lot of school, and it's very hard to see her struggling so much.... Her hands even hurt too much to knit. So we're enjoying the small joys in life, like warm jam on fresh bread and hugs.

ETA : She's had a positive TB test (a student at her school passed it around), and her autoimmune symptoms seem to be looking more like Lupus. Crap.

12 comments:

  1. Mmm jam!

    Hope Dotter fells better soon. It's no fun feeling so ill.

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  2. Well that just looks delicious. Hope Dotter is feeling less under the weather soon.

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  3. Those look so good! Luckily I'm eating breakfast.

    Lots of good health vibes to Dotter.

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  4. Hope the warm jam does the trick for Dotter - mmmm, yum! And the smell too! Lovely.

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  5. you are a mean, mean person LOL, that last picture of your jam was to die for. Wish I could pop over!
    Sorry to hear about Dotter, hugs to her from VA

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  6. Yummy jam.

    Yukky TB.

    Feel better, Dotter!!!!

    Your jam looks like love in a jar.

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  7. Oh, hon. Damn. Poor Dotter.

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  8. Couldn't have put it better than you have. Crap, indeed. I really hope she recovers extra quickly.

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  9. Jam is ever the sign of success, If you have jam, you have it made. And jam preserves the vitamins of summer all winter long. My mom remembers her Russian-born grandma always giving a spoonful of jam in the tea when a child had a cold.

    Poor Dotter. Sending hugs and all good wishes.

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  10. Oh good grief. You mean that insulin dependent diabetes isn't enough for her to deal with? I can't believe this. So sorry to hear that this is happening to Othlon. If it does end up being lupus, let me know. I have a friend who developed lupus in eerily similar circumstances and I'm sure that she'd have lots of supportive information etc for youse. Hugs.

    And I LOVE that marmalade : )

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  11. Huge honking crap. So sorry to hear that. Poor baby. You are making me want to go find some in season fruit and make some jam.

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  12. big huggles for the divinely luffly othlon *smooch*

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