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Foraged Wild Blackberry Jam Recipe

At the weekend, two of my boys decided to pick some blackberries.  With the instruction of not to pick below waist height, I hope they stuck to it, but if not, we’ll never know for sure.

I used golden caster sugar for a change for this recipe.  The taste and smell while it was cooking was the best of any jam I have ever made.   It’s also not as sweet as strawberry or rhubarb jams.

It would be amazing served warm with ice cream.

Blackberry Jam 3

Wild Blackberry Jam Recipe

Lesley Smith
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Baking
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 800 g Wild Blackberries
  • 750 g Golden Caster Sugar
  • 50 g Butter
  • 4 tablespoons Pectin
  • 50 g Water

Instructions
 

  • Put the washed blackberries and the water into a thick bottomed saucepan. Simmer for around 10 - 15 minutes to soften the fruit.
  • Add the golden caster sugar and bring to the boil slowly.
  • Add the pectin, then allow the jam to rapid boil for around 5 minutes. Add the butter.
  • You might have some scum to scoop off the top, or you might not have. Whichever way, let the jam settle for a few minutes after turning off the heat, and place it into clean and sterilised jars for storage.

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Review: Chad Valley Toys

We were recently sent some Chad Valley Toys to review as part of their  #100daysofplay which started this summer, and encouraged parents up and down the country to share fun playtime ideas on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We’re a wee bit late to the party, but better late than never.

Christmas is coming up fast, and there are always good reasons to check out good toys for our kids.  I’d like to see 100 days of play increased to 365 days, as every child should have a day of play, every day, so I’ll be interested to see where the future of the campaign lies.  You can see how the summer one shaped up on the Chad Valley social media platforms.

The current campaign is “Time to Play.”

Play is great and it helps stimulate our children’s imaginations.

Chad Valley says:

Experts have proven that just 15 minutes open play a day can make an enormous difference to the development of your child; sparking curiosity and originality.  With over 300 toys to choose from – everything from brilliant infant and pre-school toys for babies and toddlers, to fun packed toys for boys and girls, there’s lots of fun for every child!  We’ve also developed free stories and play ideas, to help inspire you and your little ones.

  • Chad Valley on Facebook
  • Chad Valley on Twitter

Middler is really a wee toot in a big body, so we go through a fair amount of toys that are built for the hands of little ones.  Some brands can hold their own and others struggle with big hands which play with toys that are made for little ones.

The sheer size of the package was enough to send middler into cloud nine.  There was no way to make him wait after school, so it was eagerly opened.

 

His eyes popped when he saw the fire engine.  That’s understandable as he is vehicle daft, and particularly diggers, tractors, fire engines and police cars.  This was the perfect toy for him.  Unfortunately, the space hopper was just too small for us, so it has gone to a good home, with a lovely wee girl who will enjoy it immensely for her birthday in a couple of weeks.

The fire engine has had some tlc almost daily since our package arrived, which is always nice to see.

Chad Valley FE2

Chad Valley Wheelbarrow

Thank you very much Chad Valley, and my sincerest apologies for such a late response from the Scottish Mum House.