Home-made Blackberry and Apple Jam

Last weekend I went cycling with a friend of mine along the coast to Shoreham and then along a riverbank.  On the way there were loads of brambles and we bemoaned our lack of any collection equipment.

On the way home from work yesterday I stopped off at a farm shop to check out what vegetables they had, coming home with some fresh beetroot, rainbow chard (for which I shall have to look up some recipes), leeks, mangetout, courgette, and a couple of bramley apples.

I got back in the car and was thinking of what I could make with the apples, deciding on a pie.  However, I also remembered all the blackberries that were ripe and for the taking along that riverbank.  As the riverbank was handily on my way home I decided to stop and take a walk.

I ended up with way too many berries for a pie and decided to make jam.  I've not done this since I was about 10, supervised by my mum.  I was worried that it wouldn't set.  Luckily it turns out it's really easy and I am now thinking of branching out into other types of preserve...