Turkey Feet and Jelly

When James and I decided to leave Lafayette and move back to  North Louisiana, my South Louisiana friends wondered why.  I told them that I wanted to grow grapes, raise chickens, and have a chance of snow in the winter.  So far I am two for three on those plans; we've had snow and this summer our three year old grape vines produced their first true harvest.

 

So that means it was time to make jelly.  Now I've never made jelly on my own.  My mom made crab apple jelly with us when we were young.  She hung the mashed up crab apples in diapers from the spigot in the bath tub while the juice ran out into a big bowl.  I have fond memories of that project so I was looking forward to making the first official batch of Turkey Creek Garden muscadine jelly.

 

 

 

 

Although I am a jelly novice, it wasn't that difficult. However, I was glad that I had waited to start this project until James came home from work because it took both of us to get the hot jelly liquid into the jars and the lids screwed in place quickly. It was kind of like making hot water cornbread; the first few steps happen at a leisurely pace,  then suddenly you're trying to stir and pour boiling water at the same time and things can get hectic!!

 

Jelly and Turkey Feet
(I am working on my Turkey Creek Garden brand.)

As we went to bed, we could hear the occasional tinny pop of jar lids doing whatever jar lids do after canning and it reminded me of one of our favorite movies, "Holiday Inn", where Bing Crosby has given up hectic city life to farm in Connecticut.  On one of his visits back to New York, he brings his show business friends cans of his homemade peach preserves.  Suddenly the lids explode from the cans showering the room, and all the people in it, with slimy peaches. My last conscience thoughts as I drifted off to sleep were of muscadine jelly dripping from my kitchen ceiling.....

But this morning all is well and I am planning on muscadine wine for next year!

Love ya'll,
Shelli