Kiwi Preserves

Somewhere along this journey I learned how to shop differently. When you are buying fresh, organic, or local foods you learn to buy what looks good, what is in season, instead of pre-planning everything. You buy the food that looks the most fresh and then figure out what to do with it, instead of deciding what to make first and then trying to find it ( and then getting frustrated when the store doesn't have it because its not in season or whatever) That is how I ended up with 3 bags of kiwis one afternoon. They are organic, cheap, and beautifully ripe ( but definitely not local). In the dead of winter it is quite the find to see organic fresh food this beautiful. Thankfully the Complete Book of Home Preserves had a few recipes and I chose the easiest one. It is sooooo delicious. I like to spread it on cheese and crackers. This recipe made seven 125ml jars.



Peel and thinly slice 4 kiwis.



Combine kiwis with 3 cups sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice, and 1/4 cup lime juice. Stir over high heat until there is a full rolling boil that doesn't stir down. Stir in 1 pouch liquid pectin (3 oz/85 ml) and boil hard, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir off foam.

Jars should be prepared and ready ( directions are at front of book or you can research on internet). Ladle hot preserves into hot jars, leaving 0.5 cm headspace. Remove air bubbles and put on lid until there is resistance, then increase to fingertip-tight.Put jars in canner and boil to process for 10 minutes. Remove caner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.



Most of these are going to be gifts or opened when company comes over.