The Home of Industry

With winter properly settled in and the production from the garden reduced to citrus, carrots, beetroot , Swiss Chard and rocket, all the preserves, marmalades and chutneys which I made during the year are a blessing adding enchantment to the winter meals. The winter lunches and suppers are a culmination of all the seasons.

Limoncello

Marmalade

Citrus Cordials

Apricot Chutney

The preserved fruit and vegetables add flavour and variety to the winter meals. It is as if the fruit and vegetables that taste light and fresh in summer have a more serious and intense flavour in their preserved state. The spring, summer and autumn fruit and vegetables compliment the cold winter days with their intense flavours in their preserved form.

Green Beans

Brinjals

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Basil Pesto

Every time I walk past the laden “spenskas” in the kitchen, a feeling of intense pleasure and achievement washes over me and I think of it as a home of industry.

Quince Chutney

Korrelkonfyt (Hanepoot Grape Jam)

Pickled Onions

Kaapse Jongens (Hanepoot grapes in Brandy)

Remembering the old picture in the Victorian kitchen saying “Rules to be observed by this family” obviously to make sure that the family follows the proper ways and do not fall victim to idleness and indolence. 

Some of the Rules

I always liked the sound of “the home of industry” above the picture of the happy family on the left of the rules compared to the picture of the struggling family under “the home of idleness” on the right side.

Apparently this happens when you drink without listening to piano music

“The result of perseverance” is also a preferred state to the “consequence of indolence”!  I always thought the consequence of indolence was to be knocked unconscious with a big stick and left in a ditch and I prefer to sit around drinking and listening to piano music.  

A Well Stocked "Spenskas"

That is how I came to persevere in the preservation of fruit and vegetables.