My Grandmother Grace was not known for her cooking skills.  My mother speaks of her as taking a good steak and turning it into leather. But she did have a way with jelly, making jars up from all manner of wild and domestic fruits. Sometimes she made combinations of fruits and more than once showed off a new batch consisting of little more than one baby food jar. This was usually some wild fruit found growing out in the woods, perhaps a few wild grapes or huckleberries. I quite enjoy making jams and jellies myself and am proud to be able to use Grandma's stained and warped wooden jelly spoon to continue the tradition. 

For years I trusted to Sure-Jell  and modern recipes.  However, in the last few years I have been working with recipes from before the introduction of commercial pectin. I have done this in part, because most commercial pectin is based on corn to which I have a minor sensitivity, but mostly for the challenge of mastering a vanishing skill. I don't suppose any of you are of the same mindset?

Gelly of Red Currents is one of the earlier recipes I have been able to access.  It comes from The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Opened first published in 1669, reprinted in 1997 by Prospect Books Edited by Jane Stevenson and Peter Davidson. See the original quoted at the bottom of the page.

Currents are perhaps the easiest fruit to make into jelly. They contain so much pectin, (the chemical that makes jelly jell), that practically all you have to do is look at them cross-eyed to get jelly. Currants have so much pectin that many old-time jelly recipes add red current juice as an extra source of pectin. The other most common ingredient for added pectin is apple juice or apple skins prior to the introduction of commercial pectin in the 20th century.

Red currants are the most commonly available. White currants can be treated the same way, as well as black currants.  Dried 'zante' currants are a different thing entirely.  They are actually a small species of grape and are not suitable for jelly, although they can be a fine addition to other preserves such as chutney.

This recipe will look familiar to anyone who makes their own jelly and does not stray far from modern directions.

• Rinse and stem fresh currents. Make sure to discard any moldy or rotten fruit but there is no need to make sure every tiny bit of stem is pulled off.  

• Using a double boiler or a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, gently heat the currents and mash, as they start to break open, with a spoon or a potato masher, until all the fruit is broken and well mashed.

• Put fruit into a strainer lined with cheese cloth or into a jelly bag and let drip over a bowl for 4-5 hours or overnight. You may squeeze the cheesecloth or bag to release all the juice, or leave it merely to drip for the clearest product.

• Measure your juice. (a small quantity of water may be poured through the skins and seeds to bring your total amount of juice up to a level measurement, not more than a ¼ to ½ a cup depending on the size of the batch)

• To each pint of juice, add ¾ pound granulated white sugar. Since you are measuring by weight it could be regular or superfine, but remember commercial powdered sugar contains agents to prevent clumping and should not be used for jelly or jam.

• Combine juice and sugar in large pot. This should be 3 or even 4 times larger than will hold the all the juice and sugar to allow space for the jelly to boil up.

• Prepare all jars, lids, and other equipment for storage before starting to cook the jelly.

• Bring juice and sugar to a rolling boil. Stir frequently and constantly as it boils until it comes to the jelling point. This can be determined by dropping a drop into cold water or onto a plate to see if it has reached the right consistency or watch for sheeting action off your spoon when pouring jelly off it.

• Remove from heat, skim any froth if desired, and ladle into waiting hot storage jars and seal. 

Gelly of Red Currents

Take them clean picked and fresh gathered in the morning, in a bason, set them over the fire, that their juyce may sweat out, pressing them all the whole with the back of your preserving spoon, to squeeze out of them all that is good. When you see all is out,  strain the Liquor from them, and let it stand to settle four or five hours, that the gross matter may sink to the bottom, Then take the pure clear, (the thick settling will serve to add in making Marmulate of Cherries , or the like) and to every pint or pound of it, put three quarters of the purest refined Sugar, and boil them up with a quick fire, till they come to a gelly height (which will be done immediately in less then a quarter of an hour) which you may try with a drop upon a plate, Then take it off, and when it is cold enough, put it into Glasses.  You must be careful to skim it well in due time, and with thin brown Paper to take off the froth, if you will be so curious.

other recipes featuring fruit

• Apple Fritters
• Apple Puffs
• Apple Pillows
• Cherry Puffs
• German French Toast
• Wardyns in Syrup

Other English Recipes

• Bryndons
• Doucettes
• Figgy Piggy Pie
• Frytours of Mylke
• Wardyns in Syrup
• Marinated Mushrooms ala May