So what can ginger do for you?

Ginger has been used for centuries as an anti- nausea remedy. It stimulates saliva flow and digestive activity. It settles the stomach, relieves vomiting and can ease indigestion and gastric pain caused by gas and diarrhoea, it is great for morning sickness and travel sickness and can help lower cholesterol too!.......Not bad for a bit of old root!

I like to share a home recipe/remedy with you just like my Granny used to make.

This always goes down a treat with my family and friends. It lasts quite a few months before it gets mould on the top, but I just remove that and it still taste fine, if you've not eaten it all by then!

Great in cakes, especially chocolate! On toast and bread also makes good baked sausages and addition to curry.

Oh and another thing ,I never tell people what's in all my jams as for some reason the mention of pumpkin and marrow puts some folk off ,even if they've been enjoying it!

Label the contents simply so they don't know and say you don't remember but there's apple in it and doesn't it taste great!

Basically I never really follow many recipes just chuck in whatever I have available at the time

The main rule is always use 1lb of sugar to 1lb of pulp and you won't go wrong, if jam doesn't set add extra pectin at the end of the cooking. You can buy this in a health food store or supermarket.

You can add less/more sugar, depends on your sweet tooth really and the fruit you are using, but if you do add less it will not last as long.

You can follow any basic jam recipe and change the fruit content.

For my Granny's Ginger preserve.

I use a mixture of any gourds {squash, pumpkin or marrow} cook them until tender then drain.

Add to some stewed apple; I've even used parsnips. Adapt to seasonal availability.

Weigh your pulp now when it's cooked.

It doesn't matter now much of each fruit/veg you use or if you only use one variety it still tastes great.

I then add 1 jar of finally chopped preserved ginger plus the syrup it came in, some grated root ginger and some powdered ginger spice; go careful with the root and spice depending how you like it they should be added in VERY VERY small quantities and keep tasting the jam until you get the right strength.

Test for setting and if necessary add some pectin; I've never had a problem if you use enough apple but you do need it with the veg.

Hope you like it!