I helped out at a country house that was hosting a national daliah festival at the weekend. I am pretty used to arriving for duty and finding something utterly remarkable was taking place just in the main courtyard or in the famous walled garden. This year’s festival included workshops on fruit gathering, pickling and storing fruit and veg. Jam making sessions also took centre stage. There was much disappointment amongst the crowds when the supplies of home made jam ran out during the second demonstration. So popular is the ethos of home made food. The younger families are not geared up for doing it themselves so revel in the glory of experts who are. Some websites are fantastic sources of home making equipment. Cooking vats, pickling gear, jars, et. You just need a ready supply of the fruit and veg to get pickling and Bob’s your uncle, as they say.
