I want my mincemeat to store well, so I don't have to find ways to use it up in one Christmas season. And also, in case I succeed in hiding it from myself, so I don't demolish the lot before the advent calendars come out. So I did a fair bit of research into preserving techniques - because we want those juicy, plump fruits, but that moisture content is what causes mould. Plus, if those juices ferment it can cause fizzy, sour mincemeat and exploding jars. So we need to find a

Rum & Coconut Mincemeat Ingredients: 1lb bramley apples, grated. No need to peel, but give them a good wash. Any other tart apples will do the job if you can't get hold of Bramleys. 100g desiccated coconut 3 level teaspoons cinnamon 2 level teaspoons ginger 225g shredded suet or grated proper butter (grate when it's very cold, or you can cut into very small cubes). This fat content is not optional if you want a moist mincemeat with any kind of shelf life

Yeah yeah, I know it's only July, but by the time the kids are back at school it'll be a bit too late, in my humble opinion, to make your own mincemeat, if you want it to be beautifully matured and mellowed. If you've left it a bit late, or you just can't be arsed and want to take a short cut, here's a link to my short video showing how I doctor up the shop-bought stuff. No judgement from Neen's kitchen, cockers. The first time I ever made mincemeat was when I had a san

Now then, I'm not terribly averse to shop bought mincemeat, but what puts me off is the dry texture, the grainy sugar and the visible suet in the jar. It's just not pretty, and if those ingredients aren't melted in during the maturation process, the flavour is a lot more harsh. The shop bought stuff also tends to contain added preservatives and colours. I want my mincemeat to store well, so I don't have to find ways to use it up in one Christmas season. And also, in case I

This goes with pretty much everything - but especially on a pork dinner or a cheeseboard. The more ripe your pears are, the sweeter they'll be - so reduce the sugar a little if they're very ripe. Try and use up your pears before they get really ripe though, because OH GOD THE MESS. Warning: make this on a day when you can throw the doors and windows open because OH GOD THE VINEGAR SMELL

If you've ever tried making your own marmalade, you'll know it's a long, laborious and messy process. We have to dissect the oranges, faff about with muslin, peeling pith and scraping seeds. We're finding sticky bits in the kitchen for a full week afterwards. If you make it this way, and enjoy it, I raise my flat cap to thi! When I started getting heavily into pre