GINGER JELLY and SYLVESTER

Today I communicated with my female ancestors.

No, this is not some kind seance blog! I spent a happy few hours preparing a range of delicacies for winter enjoyment. Ginger Jelly, Crystalized Ginger and Ginger Sugar. Yum!

It was my paternal grandmother that taught me how to make jam. Before she married she worked in a grand house, like Downton Abbey. She was the equivalent of poor overworked and underpaid Daisy, a combination of scullery maid and under cook and for all the years I knew her she was a hard worker. She raised a family of 4 boys and 2 girls on a shoestring and she really was a pro at making something from nothing.

Whenever I'm in the kitchen making preserves, I feel as if my grandmother, is standing behind me, testing and tasting and giving gentle words of advice. Crystallized ginger really brings her close, because she kept a pot of the delicious and expensive treat in her private cupboard. This sounds strange, but when I was a child, a jar of ginger cost the equivalent of a days wages, so to her it was like a pot of gold.

Today I managed to make five jars of Ginger Jelly, 900g of crystalized Ginger and two jars of Ginger Sugar; when I calculate the cost, I saved about $30 and had a pleasant afternoon with Nana.

This to me is a perfect day.

Recipe for Crystallized Ginger

SYLVESTER

Image of street sign

SYLVESTER smile

SYLVESTER by Sea Dean 3.5" x 2.5" ACEO Framed as shown

Sylvester is an ACEO I created after a visit to Le Marais, Paris. In a museum there was a collection of old metal street signs which were rescued when the whole area was demolished due to disease. As it was a Jewish quarter, they used signs to advertise their business. This sign may have been for an animal doctor or a ratcatcher. I loved that smirk on his face and those round eyes so I'm thinking more likely it was a ratcatcher sign.

I chose to frame him to match his amber eyes and rusty fur and he is available in my Daily Paintworks gallery.

SYLVESTER
by Sea Dean
3.5 x 2.5" Canvas Card
Matted and Framed


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