in Islington: H Crabb, 158 Liverpool Road and The Make Lounge, Barnsbury Street

On my way to a meeting at Islington Council, I spotted these two shops:

H Crabb Concertina Maker, 158 Liverpool Road,

now home to knitted cushions and some mice

The Make Lounge on Barnsbury Street - contemporary craft workshops.

Click here to see what they have planned for the next few months - I like the idea of patchwork quilting and making a dress

Mrs O makes marmalade (version 2012)

I made some seville orange marmalade. It set. Apparently this is the first time it has set 'in years'. Humph.
Let me know if you'd like to try some*

*delivered by hand, therefore walking distance only

Mrs O's W.I. moment 2011 - Gloucestershire apple and ginger jelly

A weekend in Gloucestershire drinking up the last of the summer sun and picking up windfalls. Time for apple and ginger jelly. I am not a purist, and proudly use Certo - bottled pectin - to ensure it sets every time. Well, almost.

This recipe is a mash-up of recipes from Cook It Simply and Certo.

Ingredients:

2kg cooking apples / crab apples

1.5 litres water (enough to cover the apple)

50g root ginger

sugar (see method)

1 bottle Certo

Method:

1. Wash and roughly chop up the apples - removing bruised bits.

2. Peel, chop and bruise the ginger.

3. Use enough water to cover the apples and ginger - simmering for approx 30 mins, until tender, using a potato masher to squish them up.

4. Put in jelly bag, and allow to drip over night - I string up the jelly bag under a chair, but you can buy those on-the-counter jelly strainer kits from places like Lakeland.

5. Pour the juice into a pan, adding the sugar: 800g per 1 litre juice.

6. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved - add a small piece of butter to reduce foaming.

7. Add Certo (1 bottle), stirring occasionally, then bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute.

8. Remove from the heat and test for set - this can be done by putting a few drops of liquid jelly onto a plate, allowing to cool (put into fridge) and pushing with your finger to see if it wrinkles.

9. Once the liquid jelly has cooled a little, skim it (the butter will have reduced foaming but there will still be some to skim off) and pot in sterilised jars - these can be done very easily in the dishwasher. If your dishwasher has a long cycle, then set it off long in advance of the jelly-making process. You can also wash the jars up by hand, and dry in a moderate-heat oven - but last time I did this, the jars got too hot and cracked when I poured in the jelly, so I favour the dishwasher method.

10. Allow the jelly to set - this could take a week or so if there is a low pectin content.

Mrs O's W.I. moment: Seville Orange Marmelade

I made some seville orange marmalade yesterday evening. At midnight, when setting point seemed a long way off, I followed a top tip from The Cottage Smallholder to add more lemon juice, and I have this morning been rewarded with some perfectly soft-set marmalade with a good bitter-sweet flavour.