Redcurrants - topping and tailing?

[Milims]

I've made white currant jam and it's incredibly seedy. However I'm guessing that it you make jelly the stalks etc will filter out with the seeds

[Rosendula]

Life's too short! Yes I take off any stalks that are still attached, but I can't be bothered with topping and tailing, not even when I'm eating them fresh. Maybe I'm just lazy, but if I had to top and tail them, I wouldn't bother growing them.

[boboff]

Agreed.

I mixed them in with Blackcurrants when I made a batch of Jam, it was very nice, and you couldn't notice.

[Millymollymandy]

Didn't know there was anything to remove from redcurrants apart from the little stalks. They don't have that papery bit on one end like the blackcurrants do. Most of my b.currants have gone in the freezer tails and a few stems still attached, cos they will go through muslin so it doesn't matter. I've just done a few small batches of cleaned up ones for adding to crumble later on.

[Millymollymandy]

Jelly, coulis, or like I'm going to do this year, hope my neighbour will take the whole lot away with her!

I don't want any of them.

[ina]

I always bottled some in juice - made up from concentrated blackcurrant and apple juice. No added sugar, so 100% fruit; and I bottle them in smallish jars (jam size), so they are nice single or double portions. And I also love them mixed with blackcurrants as jam...

Redcurrants are nice in muffins, or just any sponge cake, too. Just don't mix in too many, or it gets too soggy - and don't mix too vigorously, or you'll end up with pink cake! (But then, maybe you like pink cake... )

[Rosendula]

I like the idea of mixing them with Blackcurrants for jam Boboff, anyone else got any good ideas as to what to do with them apart from freezing for crumbles/pies later on?

WINE!!!!!!

[ina]

WINE!!!!!!

Now how could we forget that - I have a demijohn sitting there with last year's!

Wonderful colour - haven't tasted it yet...

[boboff]

We are going to try the Elderflower Champagne tonight! OH got her exam results, and Passed, woooop de woooooop, no tears this time!

[ina]

We are going to try the Elderflower Champagne tonight! OH got her exam results, and Passed, woooop de woooooop, no tears this time!

Congratulations!
I shall raise a glass with you (the last of my own rhubarb wine - slightly sparkling, but not exactly champagne...)

[boboff]

WOooP De WOoop again, Elderflower Champers was lovely, a few raspberries and strawberries in the bottom of the glass, accompanied by my first ever attempt at home made Garlic Mayo and Crudities ( not that sort Susie, strips of Carrots and Celerly!)

I have to say the Champagne tasted like champagne, with a hint of elderflower......not like most home brew, what ever I do it always tastes like Sherry!

[ina]

I have to say the Champagne tasted like champagne, with a hint of elderflower......not like most home brew, what ever I do it always tastes like Sherry!

Cairn o'Mohr make an elderflower and oakleaf bubbly (professionally, of course), which I prefer to any champagne I've ever tasted...

But - what's wrong with sherry??

[boboff]

Nothing wrong with Sherry!

No I thinks it's the "dirty" taste you get with Homebrew that I don't like.

[ina]

No I thinks it's the "dirty" taste you get with Homebrew that I don't like.

Do you mean the bit of cloudyness, yeasty kind of taste? I got that towards the end of the bottle (still haven't unearthed the racking equipment, so had to just pour it off), but at least three quarters of the wine seemed perfectly clear and clean-tasting. And I use the last bit (with most of the yeast residues) for my slug trap, which needs to go out tonight!

[sleepyowl]

I mixed mine with strawberries & blackcurrants & put them in a cheesecake with dark chocolate mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm