Canning season

[sophie]

Has started! Today 3 batches of lavender jelly.

[auntieannie]

mom made redcurrant jelly yesterday, and a redcurrant tart, after picking the currants with her friend on Monday.

[Netsuke]

Jun 21, 2023 6:24:19 GMT 2 sophie said:

Has started! Today 3 batches of lavender jelly.

What type of lavender do you have, Sophie? Is it Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula stoechas? We had the former in our garden, it is my favourite. I’m not too keen on the latter. I have a 1kg bag of dried lavender (English lavender) in the linen cupboard and a lavender coloured teddy bear filled with  yes, you’ve guessed it - lavender. I always meant to fill lavender bags with the stuff but just never got around to it!

[sophie]

I have several different types.. can’t remember the Latin names at the moment

[auntieannie]

lavendula angustifolia is "true" lavender.

[sophie]

I just looked it up.. that’s what I have the most of

[slowcoach]

In an age long ago, in an oak panelled study, there was a book that I recall bore the title "The Importance of Canning"

But not culinary canning, but political Canning, the somewhat maverick UK politician "George Canning":

During his first spell as Foreign Secretary he conspired with the then PM to have the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, Lord Castlereagh removed from office:

Castlereagh discovered the deal in September 1809 and challenged Canning to a duel. Canning accepted the challenge and it was fought on 21 September 1809 on Putney Heath. Canning, who had never before fired a pistol, widely missed his mark. Castlereagh, who was regarded as one of the best shots of his day, wounded his opponent in the thigh. There was much outrage that two cabinet ministers had resorted to such a method.

Those were the days.


An amusement at the latter time was that England was currently considering the importance of beating school children hence the natural mistake when one first glanced at the book cover.

From that day forward I cannot read the term "canning" without association with kids getting the crap beaten out of them.


FWIW the study was a successful effort by "Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin" a man more famous for the monstrosity that is the new Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament).