I made 33 jars of currant jelly yesterday on the 4th of July. It is a very good year for currants - some years I fight the birds to get enough for one batch of jelly - but not this year. I'm excited to be able to make so much - I have a friend who also has a child with autism - and our children are so different from each other and yet they have some of the same problems in life. One of the ways they are different is that my kid will eat just about anything and he just loves fruits and veggies. She has always struggled with her child eating anything. At one point there were only 5 things he would eat and they had to be particular brands - so frustrating. Anyway one of the things he loves and eats is currant jelly - has to be red and not black. The last year I had a bumper crop I made two extra batches just for him. I believe his eating is better but I think he still like currant jelly so I am excited to be able to do this and help them out.
Anyway jelly making is really easy - not hard at all. When I go to the bother of making jelly, I make several batches at a time. No sense in heating up the kitchen for just a few. I don't have a dishwasher so I have to heat the jars in boiling water to sterilize them and that seems to take the longest - so while you have hot water you may as well sterilize the next batch and keep going.
Does anyone know what else you can make with currants? Andy and I like to just eat them, but they don't last very long. Dan only likes the jelly. One year I tried to dry them and they were all hard and little, not like the dried currants you buy in the store that look like raisins - so I did a little research and learned that the dried currants you buy in the store are a different plant entirely - something from Europe with the same common name. Who knew? I didn't. So if anyone else knows what I should do with my currants (other than feed the birds), post a comment and let me know.
3 comments:
Wow you are a true pal to your pal. How wonderful to have someone just accept that her pal's son eats five things. [mine currantly[tee hee] only eats 13.
It also looks delicious.
Best wishes
Your current jelly is beautiful and I'm sure it probably tastes as good as it looks. I don't can anymore, but I remember the satisfaction of standing back and admiring the pretty jars of jams and jellies.
Thanks ladies for your comments.
mcewen - I can't imagine how much more difficult life is with children that limit what they will eat. I used to be jealous of my friend that her son was so much smarter than mine (mine struggles in school and is below grade level - hers was reading without being taught at age 3). But after spending time together I learned that our children are different in so many ways, but there are many things to be thankful for in each. She told me once that she would trade his hyperlexia (early reading) in a heart beat for my son's ability to eat what I feed him. From that point on I was never jealous again and realized this gfcf diet is nothing to deal with - at least he eats it willingly.
I hope your son is able to expand his dietary choices. My friends son is up to about 20 now - but that is after many many failed different types of therapy.
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