Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Draw off the heat.

Using a perforated spoon, dip the peaches one at a time into a saucepan of boiling water and leave for 30 seconds. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of cold water. Peel, halve and stone the peaches. Prick peaches deeply all over with a fine skewer. Add to the pan of hot sugar syrup and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Carefully lift out peaches with a perforated spoon and pack them into a large earthenware crock or glass jar. Pour over the syrup, filling to a little over half full. Top up with the brandy to cover the peaches completely. Cover tightly and store in a cool place. Peaches may rise in jars at first but as they become saturated with syrup they will sink again at which time they are ready for serving. They make a delicious dessert served with cream and will keep for up to 6 months.

Prepare the syrup first. Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes, then draw off the heat.

Halve and stone the plums. Halve the grapes. Scald peaches in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and plunge into cold water. Peel the skins, halve and remove stones. Halve and peel the pears. Scoop out cores with a teaspoon and cut each half in half lengthways. (Keep pears submerged in cold water with lemon added to prevent discoloration.)

Have the jars hot and pack a selection of fruit into each one. Arrange jars about 2 inches (5cm) apart on a baking tray lined with newspaper. Bring syrup back to the boil and fill each jar to within 1 inch (2.5cm) of the tops. Cover jars with lids (but not screw bands). Place in the centre of an oven heated to 300°F (150°C) or Gas no. 2 and leave them for 11/2 hours. Remove from oven and hermetically seal jars by screwing on caps tightly. Leave until quite cold then test seal before storing.

The only initial expense is the jars, but if you take care of them (see they don’t get chipped or cracked) they will serve you well over and over again. I use the traditional Kilner jars with a lacquered metal lid (washer is attached) and a plastic screw band to secure the lid during sterilization. Proper preserving jars have nice wide necks that make it easy to pack in the fruit. For family servings the medium-sized 1 lb (500ml) jars are the most useful.

For bottling you need good quality sound fruit which you prepare according to type, just as if you were going to poach or stew it. Fruits that discolour or turn brown are best dropped into water with a little lemon juice added as they are prepared. You will find that fruits keep the best colour and flavour if they are bottled in a sugar syrup. Make this by dissolving S oz (225g) sugar in every 1 pint (600ml) water and boiling the syrup for 2 minutes. Have a panful of syrup ready-made before you start preparing the fruit so you can get on with the job quickly once you start. For every 1 lb (500ml) jar you will need to allow a generous ‘/4 pint (150ml) prepared syrup, but if you don’t have quite enough it’s easy to make up a little extra at the last minute.

For the home cook, using the oven is the best method; this way you can prepare a few jars in a relatively short space of time. All you need is a sturdy baking tray that fits 4 x 1 lb (500ml) jars the maximum to process at one time. Line the baking tray with folded newspaper to catch any overflow of syrup. You can process more bottles by preparing the next batch while the previous one is in the oven.

Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C) or Gas no. 2. Rinse the jars in hot water but do not dry them (fruit slips in more easily) and pack the prepared fruit very neatly so you fit in as much as possible.

Break up the eggs with a fork and strain into the bowl. Cook gently, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy. This will take 20-25 minutes if yolks only_are used or 10-15 minutes if whole eggs are used. Pour at once into small jars and seal while hot. Home-made lemon curd tastes better than anything you can buy, but make it in small quantities because it’s not something that keeps well.

Variation: Make a luscious lemon filling for sponges by folding 4 tablespoons lemon curd into 1/4 pint (150ml) lightly whipped double cream especially suitable for jam and cream sponge.

Peel, core and coarsely chop the apples do not use juicy cooking apples as they may cause mincemeat to ferment.

Pass the apples, raisins, sultanas and candied peel through a mincer into a mixing bowl. Or chop ingredients in a food processor. Add the currants, brown sugar, mixed spice, ginger, nutmeg, shredded beef suet and finely grated rind and juice of the lemons. Mix together thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Cover and leave to stand overnight.

Stir the mincemeat, then pack into clean, dry jars. Cover with a waxed-paper disc and a good moistureproof cover screw caps or preserving skin (Porosan). In the old days a greaseproof paper cover painted with beaten egg white was used. Store in a cool place for at least 6 weeks. Stir before using as juice tends to settle at the bottom of jars.

Variation: Add 2 tablespoons brandy, or stir in a little brandy at the time of using it.

Pick over the cranberries and discard soft berries and the stalks. Cut up the unpeeled orange and discard pips. Pass cranberries and orange pieces through the coarse blade of a mincer or chop in a food processor.

Transfer cranberries and orange to a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar. Leave to stand for at least 30 minutes so sugar dissolves in the fruit juices. This uncooked relish has a marvellous fresh flavour. Serve it with hot or cold roast turkey or ham.

Conference pears should he used for this recipe. Peel and halve the pears, then scoop out cores with a teaspoon. As you prepare the fruit, place in a bowl of cold water with a little lemon juice or salt added to prevent discoloration. Bruise the ginger, crush the cloves and allspice and tie them in a muslin bag along with the stick cinnamon.

Put the muslin bag, sugar and vinegar into a large saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears and thinly pared lemon rind. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until tender. Draw off the heat and discard muslin bag. Using a perforated spoon, transfer pears to storage jars.

Return the pan of syrup to the heat and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavour. Pour syrup over the fruit there should be sufficient to cover. Cover tightly when cold.

Cut the oranges in ‘/4 inch (5mm) slices or cut them in wedges. Discard any pips. Put into a saucepan and pour over cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, or until tender. Test the peel by squeezing a piece between the fingers it should be quite soft. Using a perforated spoon transfer oranges to a mixing bowl.

Put the vinegar, sugar and spices into a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and add the orange slices, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes until slices appear glazed. Draw off the heat and, using a perforated spoon, transfer oranges and spices to storage jars.

Return the pan of syrup to the heat and boil rapidly for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavour. Pour syrup over the fruit there should be sufficient to cover. Cover tightly when cold.

Marrow is very watery so it has to be brined; it also overcooks easily. Peel the marrow, cut in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds, then cut in bite-sized pieces. Put into a mixing bowl layered with the salt. Leave to stand for 24 hours, then thoroughly rinse. Blanch in a saucepan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain at once and return to the rinsed mixing howl.

Put the sugar and vinegar into a saucepan. Bruise the ginger and tie in a muslin bag. Add to the pan along with the pared lemon rind. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour syrup over the marrow, cover with a plate and leave to stand for 24 hours.

Put marrow with syrup into a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes until marrow is translucent. Using a perforated spoon, transfer marrow to storage jars, discarding the muslin bag and lemon rind.

Return the pan of syrup to the heat and boil rapidly for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavour. Pour syrup over the fruit there should be sufficient to cover. Cover jars tightly when cold.

Thinly slice the cucumbers. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Arrange in alternating layers in a mixing bowl, sprinkling salt between each layer. Cover with a weighted plate and leave to stand for 3 hours. After this time the cucumber and onion will be swimming in liquid. Pour away the salty liquid and thoroughly rinse and drain the vegetables.

Put the vinegar, sugar and spices into a saucepan. (Despite its colour, the turmeric will turn this pickle a bright green; without it the pickle would be a dull grey colour.) Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumber and onion. Bring to the boil and boil for 1 minute only so vegetables remain crisp and draw off the heat. Using a perforated spoon, transfer cucumbers, onion and mustard seed to storage jars.

Return the pan of syrup to the heat and boil rapidly for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavour. Pour syrup over the vegetables there should be sufficient to cover. Cover tightly when cold. This pickle is especially nice with cheese and biscuits or a raised pork pie.