Stone fruit preserving tips

Preserving cherries

Purchasing and storing
1 pound fresh fruit yields about 2½ cups of pitted cherries. You will need about 1½ pounds of cherries for each 1-litre jar. Select large, firm and deeply coloured cherries with no blemishes.

Pairs well with: Spicy herbs, such as bay, tarragon or rosemary, and spices like cinnamon or nutmeg; also try vanilla or almond

Preparation
Wash cherries in a sink full of cool water to which a drop of food-safe soap has been added. Discard any cherries that float. Rinse well, drain and pat dry.

Preserving peaches

Purchasing and storing
1 pound (about 3 medium peaches) yields 2½ to 3 cups sliced. You will need 2 to 2½ pounds for each 1-litre jar. Select firm, plump fruits with no touch of green or bruising. Peaches should give slightly when gently pressed and should not be soft.

Pairs well with: Herbs, such as rosemary, basil, bay, or thyme, and spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves or nutmeg; also try vanilla or almond

Preparation
Blanch peaches in boiling water for 45 seconds until skins loosen; plunge into cold water and slip off the skins. Cut lengthwise in half and remove the stone.

Preserving plums

Purchasing and storing
1 pound yields 2 to 2½ cups of plum halves. You will need 1 to 1½ pounds for each 1-litre jar. Select firm fruits with a pleasant aroma that are heavy and firm yet yield to gentle pressure. Ripe plums will be slightly soft at the stem end, and the skin should have a powdery bloom. Avoid hard or mushy, bruised, stained plums.

Pairs well with: Herbs, such as basil, bay, thyme and ginger, and spices like allspice, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon or nutmeg

Preparation
Stem and wash plums in cool water to which a drop of food-safe soap has been added. Rinse well, drain and pat dry. For most canning recipes, the pits and skins are not removed. Prick the skins of whole plums with a fork to prevent splitting.

Preserving nectarines

Purchasing and storing
1 pound (about 3 medium nectarines) yields 2½ to 3 cups sliced. You will need roughly 1 pound for each 1-litre jar. Select firm, plump fruits with no touch of green or bruising. Ripe nectarines have a fragrant aroma and give slightly when pressure is applied along the seam.

Pairs well with: Herbs, such as basil, bay, thyme, chives, rosemary, chervil or tarragon, and spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves or nutmeg; also try vanilla or almond

Preparation
Wash under cool running water. The thin, smooth skin of nectarines is usually left on the fruit but can be removed with a vegetable peeler. Cut lengthwise in half and remove the stone. Slice or use nectarine halves.

* Discover the best varieties for preserving here!