Memories of a rural childhood – J is for jam and jaffles

memories

Jam

In summer when the plums began to ripen, we eagerly climbed the trees in order to reach the first delicious fruits. These were eaten fresh! Later in the season, plums were stewed or made into the many pots of jam that would be needed later in the year to provide us with “bread and jam” after-school snacks and the makings of delicious jam tarts. Blackberry jam was also popular. The berries were supplemented with chopped apples to make the fruit “go further”.

Jaffles

We had a round cast iron jaffle iron with a long handle. It wasn’t used often, but I remember one occasion when Dad cooked jaffles for us in or on the wood stove when Mum was in the hospital with a new baby. I think the filling was either canned spaghetti or baked beans.

 

15 thoughts on “Memories of a rural childhood – J is for jam and jaffles”

      1. If I recall correctly, it was nothing more than bread that had been dipped in beaten egg with a dash of milk, and then fried and served with salt and pepper, but as it was a “once in a blue moon” treat, we thought it was pretty special.

  1. I well remember jam making days, the cutting of the fruit then when cooked and bottled the clear seals to be dampened and carefully placed with elastic bands to hold them in place. The homemade jam was certainly superior to many current products.
    Carmel Galvin from
    Library Currants
    Earlier Years

    1. I agree, Carmel, home-made jam is heaps better (and contains much more fruit) than the store-bought imitations.

  2. My mother and aunt were great jam and jelly makers and I remember the muslin bag of stewed fruit suspended on a broom handle between tto chairs dripping into a bowl to make the apple jelly. Jaffles is new to me – are they like waffles?

    Also, Brian, what is Victoria Toast?

    1. From memory, it was bread that was dipped into beaten egg (with a dash of milk), which was then fried and served with salt and pepper. We thought it was a real treat!

  3. Jaffles! NOw there was a lot of fun…I guess sandwich makers took over from them didn’t they? A poor replacement in my opinion. The very word “jaffle” sounds much more fun. Toasted sandwich sounds (and looks) just ordinary pordinary Alex from
    Family Tree Frog

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