Before you get started making any kind of prserve you are usually going to need to do a bit of preparation. The key things to remember when preserving any home produce as a pickle, jam or chutney is;

• Your produce should be preserved as soon as possible after they have been harvested, anything a bit old will not store as well.
• Only use the best of the crop - no bruised, damaged or blemished produce, If it is not in tip top condition then use it up in another way.
• Read the recipe before you begin and check whether anything has to be preparred in advance. This is particularly key for making pickles and conserves as the raw ingredients usually have to be left for 24 hours in salt or sugar.
• If anything needs to be chopped up, make sure they are cut into small chunks, smaller chunks than you think about 0.5mm diameter. Unless you are after a chunky finished product and even then no bigger than 1.5cm diameter is best. This is down to your preference however if you plan to pass your produce on as a gift most people prefer a fine finish over a chunky one
• Make sure you remove any stones, leaves and stalks then weigh what you need according to your recipe.These bits all add up in the grand scheme of things and you wont want them in the pot unless you are making jelly.

If you haven't got everything you need and you can substitute with another ingredient that you do have to hand then go for it, however make a note of the change you have made just in case you want to replicate it at a later date.

Happy preserving!