I have finally gone and done it....

[SarahJane]

Now that I am feeling better, I have decided to take my (somewhat small) dream a step further.

I want to make pickles and chutneys and sell them, as a side line to my day job. So today, I have invested a little money, ordered my jars, ( previously I was using recycled jars and just giving to friends for a donation), I have also ordered some buisiness cards with phone numbers/email addresses on etc.

Not sure what the next step is but I am excited about it.

The plan so far is to make;

Caramalised onion marmalade
mango chutney
indian apple chutney
chilli and coriander jam
fiery chilli and tomato chutney
sweetcorn relish
brinjhal pickle
apple, walnut and ginger chutney
tomato and apple chutney
onion burger relish
four pepper chutney

and maybe a few pickles, ie;

onions
shallots
gherkins

and mint sauce.

I am trying a few other recipes out on friends at the moment. The one problem I have encountered is the brinjhal pickle is coming out and looking grey. It tastes fab but not very appealing on the eye.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Any other ideas on trying to set the wheels in motion would also be appreciated.

[wolfsong]

then theres a recipe we use that makes perfect normal cheese and pickle type chutney, Beetroot.
fwar you've got a few hot ones there

[mrsflibble]

I have a recipe for butternut and ginger jam, kind of a sweet/savory mix. very nice with cold meats and curry.

also, dont forget to brine your picling onions before vinegaring them or they might go mouldy in the middles before you get to eat them lol!!

[Cornelian]

SarahJane - do you have an obstructive amount of red tape in your way? I know here (Australia) you cannot sell food unless you are licensed to do it, and that means having a up to the grade kitchen (i.e. industrialized kitchen - one in which children and pets never enter etc etc etc). It is just too hard to ever try to sell food (and too dangerous as the food standards legislation = heavy fines LOL). Hope you do well - as I said I'd love to do it but the local council would shut me down in a flash if I tried!

[Annpan]

Good luck, I looked into doing it and never found any conclusive advice regarding food standards. I still have a pile of jams and chutneys from last year all labeled and in fancy jars but I didn't have the guts to sell them without knowing I wasn't going to get into trouble.

[Green Aura]

I can vouch for the quality of most of SJs products (not tried them all yet) - I have been one of her very willing guinea pigs

[the.fee.fairy]

I've got friends who sell theirs at boot sales. They make it perfectly clear that all is homemade in their kitchen.

[ina]

I've got friends who sell theirs at boot sales. They make it perfectly clear that all is homemade in their kitchen.

If she's unlucky, somebody from the environmental health department might turn up and inspect that kitchen... Does she have a food hygiene certificate? I know they sometimes demand that of women's institute etc.

[Cornelian]

I've got friends who sell theirs at boot sales. They make it perfectly clear that all is homemade in their kitchen.

If she's unlucky, somebody from the environmental health department might turn up and inspect that kitchen... Does she have a food hygiene certificate? I know they sometimes demand that of women's institute etc.

Ah, the same as happens here, then.

The other thing you need to think about is listing all the ingredients on the labels ... how many people are allergic to how many things these days?

[ajs88]

at my farmers market there was a couple doing and they wern't very succesful at all. they used very small jars, lovely labels but not a lot for the price, they also didn't do any tastings, really advocate the ingrediants or have any promotions

[happy place]

i think the basic rule is you can sell anything produced on your holding at your gate (ie direct to the costomer) as long as you do not make any attempt to decive(?) but would suggest you lok at the following regs. the food safety regs 1995 - food labelling regs 1996 - the wieghts and measures act 1985 - food safety act 1990- consumer protection act 1987 and possibly the local enviromental health deptment
i would just stick a sign up saying home made may contain allergens please ask for clarification
or something simular
but goodluck with the venture pls keep us informed as my beloved kepps talking about doing something simular

[SarahJane]

I have been informed that if I sell at farmers markets, boot fairs and to friends neighbours etc it is possible without the red tape associated with selling wholesale.

I dont want to make huge amounts of money, I just want to make enough to cover my costs and a little extra maybe.

I do have a food hygeine certificate, or had one years ago, (not sure if it would still be valid)

Thanks Green Aura for your vote of confidence, I am waiting til next time I see you so you can take the new indian chutneys and pickles to try with a curry, and let me know what you think.

[ina]

I have been informed that if I sell at farmers markets, boot fairs and to friends neighbours etc it is possible without the red tape associated with selling wholesale.

I think the "authority's" take on that varies greatly between areas - good for you if they are not so pedantic where you live! Good luck with the selling!

[hedgewitch]

I wish you the best of luck - this all sounds so exciting and is something I plan on doing one day in the near future. Good for you for doing something and not just procrastinating (which is what I do a LOT of).