tempus fugit

By ceridwen

My jelly bag

There she hangs like a great purple udder, drip-drip-dripping out the rich dark juice that will become the sweet winter jelly to spread on bread,  dollop on crumpets,  plop on puds or what you will.

I'm not sure you can even buy flannel jelly bags any more. I've had this one for over 30 years (I know because I brought it her with me when we moved.) She's had a few holes which I've mended or covered by using a (modern, nylon)  inner bag. She's served me well, letting down her annual cargo of clear coloured liquids without a mote in them.
I've added to this batch the pectin-rich apple juice I strained off from the early windfalls back in the summer. Nothing is wasted if I can help it.

(You can of course make a jelly bag/strainer from cheesecloth, a pillowcase or any piece of old cloth but flannel is a woollen material  made to be dense and hardwearing - though susceptible to clothes moths.)

Extra: berries boiling (hips, haws,  elder, guelder,  sloe, rowan and black) plus apples.

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