Popular savory gifts in the American South are Pepper Jelly (made with red or green bell peppers) and Jezebel Sauce, which is often served with the Christmas ham. Like pepper jelly, it's also good served with Philadelphia cream cheese and crackers.
Jezebel Sauce:
18 ounces pineapple or apricot preserves 18 ounces apple jelly Small tin of Coleman's dry mustard Small jar of prepared horseradish 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper (you may omit this)
Combine all ingredients and spoon into glass jars for gift giving. Will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
"I am a Southerner. I like the feel of these words. I could no more be otherwise than I could shed my outer skin or change the color of my eyes." Willie Morris
Posts: 1457 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
I have a friend who makes peanut butter-chocolate truffles, I could get the recipe if you like.
For canned stuff, I do summer fruit jams (fig, blackberry, raspberry-peach) but keep meaning to try some fall-winter stuff, just haven't gotten around. I also do damn hot peppers.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,
Letizia, could you point me to a recipe for your persimmon and orange jam?
This is actually a recipe I have invented, it's very popular with my guests, even those who do not like fresh persimmon
PERSIMMON JAM
3 oranges approx 1.8 kg (4 pounds) persimmon 1.6 kg sugar 2 envelopes pectin 1 teaspoon China 5-spices
Peel oranges taking care not to leave any pith , reserve the rind. Press the fruits. Boil the rind three times in a little water, straining the water away ever time to get read of teh bitter flavor. Chop. Add the orange juice, spices and chopped rind to the cleaned and chopped persimmons so to obtain 2 kg of juice and fruit pulp mixture. Add pectin and sugar following package instructions. Boil and transfer into sterilized jars.
Can I use dry peppers? I can still find some fresh hot peppers, but they are green, so not excessively hot.
I know, I could have done something with the summer fruits, they are easy and wonderful and it is now a challenge to produce something with what's available in the fall.
However I need the summer fruit to do jams for the B&B and during the season I do not have any time to think of something different and original. Of course all my friends have already tasted the regular jams!
I do figs, elderberry, peach, plum, blackberry, apricot when available, but last summer drought has been awful.
Letizia - there are several recipes for red pepper jelly on the Cooks.com website. It is made with sweet red or green bell peppers, not hot peppers.
Another idea - a tradition in our family is candied walnuts. My grandmother's recipe follows:
1 cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup milk ¾ teaspoon vanilla 2 cups walnut halves
Combine sugar and cinnamon in small saucepan. Stir in the milk, and cook slowly until the mixture forms a very soft ball in cold water (235 degrees farenheit on a candy thermometer).
Remove from heat. Quickly stir in the vanilla and walnut halves and pour onto waxed paper. Separate nuts iimmediately – they harden quickly.
Judy
Posts: 1882 | Location: Berkeley, CA | Registered: 22 March 2005
I can personally attest to the fact that Letizia preserves are awesome. She was even kind enough to send us off with a jar to enjoy in our rental after we left her house. YUM! What lucky friends you have Letizia.
Letizia, this won't help this year, but during the fruit season I skin, cut and freeze bags of fruit to make into preserves during the autumn and winter when I've more time and energy to tackle it. I similarly buy lots of green chillies and prep them into chopped, whole, sliced and freeze them since they're hard to find here.
Voila! I can then make peach mostarda with fresh or dried chillies. (Or blackberry things from that seasonal offering of my river.)
In winter, I love the taste of citrus - limes, lemons, oranges, especially blood oranges. How about a lemon curd (sometimes called lemon jam)? Of course, there are orange curds, lemon-lime curds, etc. All are quick to make using sugar, eggs, citrus juice and rind and taste divine spread on scones and quick breads. In Christmases past, I have given gifts of pumpkin bread and jars of homemade lemon curd.
"I am a Southerner. I like the feel of these words. I could no more be otherwise than I could shed my outer skin or change the color of my eyes." Willie Morris
Posts: 1457 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
Ohhhhhhh, this thread is developing into a treasure trove, thank you all so much, I better start cooking!
And Cracker, thank you so much for the appreciation. This is what makes me spend so many of my summer hours on the stove. My guests come to the countryside, they have to have a taste of it, isn't it?
Bags Packed: I adore lemon curd, thank you for reminding it. Can it be preserved for a long time though? I always prepare mine fresh. I gues I can bottle it when boiling hot.
The Jezebel sauce sounds most intriguing too, but I am not sure I can find some of the ingredients here. Would you use it with cheese?
Letizia, I think lemon curd would have limited freshness even though it is refrigerated - maybe 4-6 weeks but I am just guessing. I have never canned lemon curd - like you, I just make it fresh. And because it's just me and my husband here, I usually give half of what I make to a friend.
As for Jezebel Sauce, I suppose it could be called a mostarda and would definitely be appropriate with meats and cheeses.
I used to make Christmas gift baskets full of items baked and canned. One thing I haven't made in a long time is a conserve, which is similar to a fruit preserve but also includes spices, raisins and nuts. Somewhere I have a recipe for a pear conserve that is very good. And I also have a recipe for pear relish - it is on the spicy side and in the South is usually served with vegetables, like peas. If you are interested in any recipe, I will post or send in a PM.
Oh , have you ever made apple butter? I have a fantastic recipe given to me by a friend of my mother from North Carolina. I don't think there is anything better on a cold winter's day than toasted bread smeared with apple butter.
"I am a Southerner. I like the feel of these words. I could no more be otherwise than I could shed my outer skin or change the color of my eyes." Willie Morris
Posts: 1457 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
oh yes, please post the apple and pear recipe! Apple butter is unkown here and it would be certainly a success, plus I can keep it until I have the time to bring gifts to friends. I will see some of them in January, after the holidays.
I am leaving early this morning for two days of classes but I will post recipes tonight.
"I am a Southerner. I like the feel of these words. I could no more be otherwise than I could shed my outer skin or change the color of my eyes." Willie Morris
Posts: 1457 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
Shoot, I was hoping it would be on-line but it's not, in Bon Appetit they did an article, "Quick Gifts From Your Kitchen."
Later, I'll grab my copy from the car (it's in a bag with some hidden christmas presents), and list the items - then if you want a recipe, I'll post it.
I make a lot of things that are just different from what my friends are used to. One is the Bacardi Rum cake, which Patrizia insists is full of maple syrup and it has none-- she loves it anyway. The other you can see here. It's very popular. http://www.judithgreenwood.com/thinkonit/candiedfruit/
OK, Letizia, here is a recipe for apple butter though the measurements are U.S. September always means a trip to the orchards of North Carolina where we buy apples and enjoy newly pressed apple cider. The growers have bags and baskets for the apples pre-printed with the quantity - 1/2 peck, peck and bushel. This recipe calls for 1/2 peck which is approximately 4 quarts. And the recipe calls for apple cider though you may use apple juice. I usually combine two apple varieties - Granny Smith for tartness and Rome Beauty because the apples cook down very well, but you may use what you like.
Remove blossom and stem ends from apples. Do not peel or core apples but chop and place in a large pot with apple cider. Cook until tender. Cool slightly and put the cooked apples through a food mill. To each cup of pulp add 1/2 cup of sugar. Stir in the spices little by little, making sure the mixture isn't too spicy. Simmer over low heat until dark and thick - about 2 hours. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and ladle into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process in water bath 10 minutes.
Yield: 5 pints
"I am a Southerner. I like the feel of these words. I could no more be otherwise than I could shed my outer skin or change the color of my eyes." Willie Morris
Posts: 1457 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
Letizia, I would start it immediately, but I have to go roust out the jewelry maker who says today he will finish the ring I ordered for my kid on October 14th, 2006. Will it be ready? Chissà?
Slow Travel Talk 
, have you ever made apple butter? I have a fantastic recipe given to me by a friend of my mother from North Carolina. I don't think there is anything better on a cold winter's day than toasted bread smeared with apple butter. 
