The December challenge item was dried fruit . Don’t tell the X-man, since he hates raisins, but I found this lovely recipe in the Big Ball Book, and since I had some rhubarb from a friend’s garden, decided to spend my day-after-Thanksgiving making conserve and Quince jelly (which didn’t set, so I have quince syrup – recipes for syrup gladly accepted) instead of doing a mad rush of shopping.

Rhubarb Conserve

4 cups finely chopped rhubarb
¼ cup water
2 unpeeled oranges, seeded and finely chopped (Dh chopped both for me, thanks!)
1 unpeeled lemon (I used a lime), seeded and finely chopped
1 cup raisins
5 cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ tsp ground mace or nutmeg
2 pouches liquid pectin
½ cup chopped walnuts.



Prepare canner jars and lids

In large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine rhubarb and water. Partially cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil gently for 2 minutes until rhubarb is softened. Add oranges, lemon, raisins, sugar and mace/nutmeg, stirring until sugar dissolves. Over high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Stir in pectin. Boil hard, stirring constantly for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in walnuts. Skim off foam (I didn’t have any.)

Ladle hot conserve into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar, screw on band.

Place jars in canner, process for 10 minutes.

Makes about 7 jelly jars (mine made 8 jelly jars, and one little 4 oz. jar)

It tastes very marmalade-like, it’s quite nice on a toasted English muffin in the morning.

Chapters 23-36


1) I found Chapter 23  to be very interesting – what did you think of Elinor’s reaction to Lucy’s announcement? Did you find that her need to hear all the details to be believable and an appropriate reaction?

2)  What did you think of Chapter 28’s story of the ill-fated party and the subsequent story of Marianne’s heartbreak?

3)What do you think of the character of Willoughby, and of his marriage decision?

4 Elinor’s chance meeting with her brother, John, raised several issues – her brother’s relationship with his wife, his thoughts on Colonel Brandon, and rumors of an engagement for Edward? What do you think of these issues?

5) Discuss the treatment of Elinor and Marianne by their sister-in-law, Fanny, and her mother, Mrs. Ferrars. Contrast it with their treatment of Lucy.

6) Anything that I’ve missed?