dish or adding a delicious touch to morning breakfast or afternoon tea.

They also make very special gifts. Not only does the thought count, but the recipient is also aware that special care has been taken to create something personal and different.

Recently, Taste ran a selection of recipes from Let's Preserve It by Beryl Wood, which is available at the Bermuda Library.

In response to readers' requests, we are happy to provide further examples from this comprehensive book which contains no less than 579 recipes for preserving fruits, vegetables, and making jams, jellies, chutneys, pickles, fruit butters and cheeses.

*** APPLE AND RHUBARB JAM 1 lb. apples 1 lb. rhubarb 2 lbs. sugar 2 1 oz. water PEEL, core and chop apples; trim and chop rhubarb; put fruit in pan with water, simmer very gently until tender. Add sugar, stirring till dissolved.

Boil rapidly to set.

*** APPLE AND APRICOT CHUTNEY 2 lbs. cooking apples 4 oz. dried apricots 1 lb. onions 1 lb. sultanas 1 lb. soft brown sugar 10 oz. vinegar 1 tsp. salt pinch cayenne SOAK apricots overnight; drain and chop. Peel, core and slice apples. Put all ingredients in pan, bring to boil, stirring. Simmer about 30 mins. or until thickened.

*** APPLE FIG PRESERVE Follow recipe for Apple Date Preserve (above), substituting 4 oz. dried figs for the 6 oz. stoned dates, soaking them overnight.

*** APPLE KETCHUP SPICED 2 lbs. apples (when peeled and cored) 1 large onion 1 lb. sugar 3 pint malt vinegar 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. curry powder 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 tsp. turmeric 1 tsp. pickling spice (tied in muslin bag) 1 clove garlic (both tied in muslin bag) PUT all ingredients, except sugar, into pan and cook till apples are thick pulp. liquidise or sieve; return to pan, add sugar and boil rapidly for 10 mins. Bottle and seal. (N.B. If you want this ketchup for keeping it must be sterilised, but it will keep a limited time without).

APRICOT CURD 1 lb. apricots 1 lemon 1 lb. castor sugar 2 oz. butter 2 eggs water WASH fruit and slit, put in pan with very little water; cook slowly until tender. Remove stones, put fruit through liquidiser or coarse sieve; put into double saucepan (or bowl over boiling water) with sugar, butter, juice and rind of lemon. Stir until sugar dissolved. Add beaten eggs, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Bottle and cover immediately.

COCONUT JAM Coconut Sugar Vanilla essence DRAIN coconut, break open and grate or cut flesh very thinly. Weigh. Put in pan equal quantity of sugar and very small quantity of water, stirring over very low heat until dissolved. Bring to a boil, add coconut and 3 drops vanilla essence for each lb.. Cook very slowly, stirring often, for about 11 hrs.

*** FIG AND APPLE JAM 1 lb. dried figs 11 (30 oz.) pints apple juice 11 lbs. sugar 10 oz. water WASH and chop figs, boil slowly in water for 11 hrs. Add apple juice and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Boil, stirring frequently, to set.

FIG CHUTNEY 11 lbs. green figs 1 lb. onions 3 oz. stoned dates 2 oz. preserved ginger (or 1 oz. ground ginger) 1 pint (20 oz.) vinegar 1 lb. brown sugar 3 ozs. stoned raisins 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cayenne SLICE figs and onions, chop dates and raisins, put vinegar and sugar in pan, bring to boil, simmer 10 mins. Transfer all ingredients to a bowl, pour in hot vinegar. Stir and let stand overnight. Put in pan, bring slowly to boil, and boil gently 2-3 hrs. until dark and thick.

GUAVA JELLY Guavas Sugar Lime juice WASH and quarter guavas, just cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Strain through jelly bag. Put in pot with 1 lb. sugar and 1 tsp. lime juice per pint (20 oz.) liquid. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil rapidly to set. Bottle and cover at once.

LEMON JELLY Lemons Sugar Water WEIGH lemons, wash, cut in quarters, remove pips. Put in large bowl, just covering with water, and let stand overnight. Put in pot, boil for 2 hrs.

Strain through jelly bag. Put juice in pot with 1 lb. sugar per pint (20 oz.) liquid, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil to set.

This jelly is a very good basis for herb and spiced jellies.

*** MARJORAM JELLY Follow recipe for lemon jelly, adding 2 tbs. fresh chopped marjoram per pint (20 oz.) of liquid. If you prefer a clear jelly, add marjoram to lemons before straining through jelly bag.

*** MINT AND HONEY JELLY 2 tbps. fresh chopped mint leaves 1 pint (10 oz.) water 1 lb. clear honey 1 bottle pectin Green food colouring BOIL water, pour over finely chopped mint leaves; let stand for 15-30 mins.

Strain liquid into pot with honey, bring to boil, add colouring. Bring to a fast boil, remove from heat and add pectin. Boil further 1 minute, skimming if necessary. Bottle and cover immediately.

ORIENTAL CHUTNEY 1 lb. dried apricots 1 lb. dried peaches 3 lb. stoned dates 1 lb. sultanas 3 lb. seedless raisins 3 lb. currants 3 lbs. Demerara sugar 1 oz. salt 2 oz. garlic 1 oz. EACH ground cloves and cinnamon 1 pint (20 oz.) vinegar Water Recipes for preserves CHOP apricots, peaches and dates; put in pot with remaining fruit and water just to cover. Simmer slowly until tender. Add vinegar, spices and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Boil fast for about 30 mins., stirring frequently, until thick. Taste, add salt as required; bottle hot and do not use for six months.

*** FRESH PICKLED PEACHES 6 peaches (just under-ripe) 3 pints (60 oz.) water 1 lb. salt 2 pints (40 oz.) vinegar 1 oz. ground ginger 1 blade mace 1 oz. mixed spice 2 oz. sugar RUB peaches with damp cloth; put in pan with salt and water; boil for 2 minutes. Remove peaches, skin, put in bowl. Cover with water in which they were boiled. Let stand for 3 days. Drain well. Boil vinegar with spices; add peaches and simmer for 10 mins.. Remove fruit carefully to jar(s), pour over hot pickled vinegar and cover closely.

*** PEAR CHUTNEY 11 lbs. pears (when peeled and cored) 1 lb. onions 1 lb. green tomatoes 4 oz. seedless raisins 4 oz. celery 3 lb. Demerara sugar 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. salt 1 pint (20 oz.) malt vinegar 6 peppercorns PEEL, core and slice pears, chop onions, slice tomatoes; chop raisins and celery; put all ingredients except sugar in pot. Simmer gently until tender.

Add sugar and continue cooking until thickened, stirring from time to time.

*** PEAR HONEY Pears Sugar Water TAKE off blossom end of small pears. Quarter fruit and put in pan with water to cover. Simmer until very soft. Strain through jelly bag. Put juice in pan with 3 lb. sugar per pint (20 oz.) liquid and bring to boil. Simmer to thin syrup.