The crabs (continued)

Some six hours after picking the crab apples of the previous post, we are now in possession of two and a bit jam jars of a deep red jelly - the product of near four pounds of fruit, two pounds of sugar and some water. Not bad at all on thin slices of the freshly baked batch 574, the last bread which will contain ancient flour for a while. In chemical terms, it can't be far from golden syrup with a spot of red dye.

A festival of nostalgia. Boiling down the jam. Lifting off the scum. Heating the jam jars in the oven. Jam covered utensils all over the place. Much washing up for the morning. BH was even able to turn up a full kit of waxed paper discs, clear plastic covers, the rubber bands to hold them on and labels. She thought from the Sainsbury's jam department - although she couldn't think how long ago they were bought and whether such a place still exists.

Three jam jars of jelly if one counts the one remaining jar of bramble jelly. We will see how long it all lasts. How much of it finds its way into desserts and puddings, rather than into porridge or onto toast.