flipGarden red currant jelly
Garden red currant jelly
Why this dish? Sido's garden in Saint-Sauveur overflowed with red fruits and shrubs that Colette sang about all her life. Putting July's red currants into jelly to keep them until winter is the most typical domestic preservation gesture of that childhood world.
The juice of freshly pressed red currants, cooked with its weight in sugar until set, then poured into pots. A translucent red jelly, bright and tangy, for toast and snacks.
The July red currants in my mother's garden hung in light clusters like little glass lanterns. We stripped them with a fork and extracted a ruby-colored juice that had to be weighed, because jelly does not forgive approximations: as much sugar as juice, no more. Mother watched over the copper basin, waiting for the moment when a drop sets on a cold plate; a moment too late, and all was lost. Those pots, stored cool, gave us back summer in the dead of winter, on a buttered slice of bread.
- •Garden red currants — full basket (fruit)
- •Sugar — as much as juice (setting and preservation)
Garden red currant jelly
The juice of freshly pressed red currants, cooked with its weight in sugar until set, then poured into pots. A translucent red jelly, bright and tangy, for toast and snacks.
Why this dish? Sido's garden in Saint-Sauveur overflowed with red fruits and shrubs that Colette sang about all her life. Putting July's red currants into jelly to keep them until winter is the most typical domestic preservation gesture of that childhood world.
The July red currants in my mother's garden hung in light clusters like little glass lanterns. We stripped them with a fork and extracted a ruby-colored juice that had to be weighed, because jelly does not forgive approximations: as much sugar as juice, no more. Mother watched over the copper basin, waiting for the moment when a drop sets on a cold plate; a moment too late, and all was lost. Those pots, stored cool, gave us back summer in the dead of winter, on a buttered slice of bread.
Ingredients (period version)
- Garden red currants — full basket (fruit)
- Sugar — as much as juice (setting and preservation)
Ingredients
- Red currants — 2 kg (for juice) (fruit)
- Granulated sugar — same weight as obtained juice (setting and preservation)
- Lemon juice — 1/2 (optional) (helps setting)
Method
- Rinse the currants, put them in a basin with a little water, and heat gently until they burst.
- Pour into a cloth or cheesecloth and let the juice drip without pressing (for a clear jelly).
- Weigh the collected juice and add the same weight of sugar.
- Bring to a rapid boil, skimming, until setting point: a drop placed on a cold plate should set.
- Pour immediately into scalded jars, seal, and turn upside down until cool.
How it was made : Jelly was made in a large copper basin, whose metal promotes quick cooking and a beautiful color. Without a thermometer, setting was judged 'on a cold plate' or 'by the sheet' on a skimmer. It was the great summer ritual that filled the pantry for the whole year.
The contemporary twist : Flavor a jar with a hint of elderflower or a lemon verbena leaf from the garden, for a signature jelly.
Colette · Charactorium
