Now that the weather is acting more like fall I’ve been craving more warming and comforting foods.  I’ve been baking a lot more bread and enjoying my afternoon coffee hot rather than iced. The canning slowed down a bit for awhile during a busy spell but I have taken it back up with a vengeance.

Most recently I put up a batch of Apple Bourbon Butter, courtesy of a recipe from Local Kitchen’s mouthwatering blog.  If you aren’t already a regular reader over there, do yourself a favor and check out her recipes.  Last summer I made her Pirate Peaches and this spring I made her Drunken Cherries.  Right now I am salivating over the prospect of trying her Pear & Pumpkin Ale Preserves.  Doesn’t that sound heavenly?

Aside from the preserves and boozy fruits I have been on a mad chutney kick.  I made cranberry chutney (hello Thanksgiving!) :

(recipe here)

apple chutney (can’t remember where I found that recipe) and a Hearty Ale Chutney from River Cottage Preserves:

This is full of so much goodness I can’t wait for it to be ready – Guinness, onions, carrots, parsnips, turnips, tomato….and on and on! The author claims it’s perfect with a crusty bread and cheddar.  I have a feeling this will be my winter staple!

Since the girls and I picked more apples today (Staymans – an heirloom variety) there will be more apple bourbon butter soon, and I grabbed more cranberries so I can try my hand at some cranberry – persimmon preserves, now that I have a tree full of persimmons!

If only I could find some Concord grapes I’d be all set!