Summer is the ripest time of year for many crops and the warm temperatures are known for inspiring the fast fruition of garden goodies. Staring into your patch and conjuring a plan for just how you’re going to eat all that cucumber before it’s past its best can be challenging! Just as plentiful fruit creates a hoard of sweet and delicious jam, a vast array of vegetables can be pickled to keep them in an edible state for longer and it couldn’t be easier! A brine base of sugar, salt vinegar and water can be rustled up in just a few minutes.

Garnish with Garlic
As a member of the onion family, garlic is great for pickling and has a much wider range of uses than the traditional pickled onion. Simply separate and skin the cloves, pop them into a 200ml mini clip top preserving jar and pour over your brine. Once pickled, they can last up to 3 months and in a mini jar, they won’t take up much room in the fridge should you want to further extend their shelf life. After just 24 hours your garlic will be pickled and ready to pop into some mashed potatoes, season vegetables with, create an indulgent sauce or even just eat straight from the jar!

Classic Cucumber
A ripe harvest of cucumbers can be particularly daunting, with most plants sprouting 2 or 3 at a time and the lifespan of only a few days. The humble pickle itself is in fact just pickled cucumber and so preserving this fruit (yes, cucumber is actually a fruit!) makes for some delicious sandwiches, cheeseboards and salads. Whether you choose to cut them up into rings or sticks, using a larger preserve jar such as the 750ml clip top is recommended, as the cucumbers will lose a lot of water in the pickling process. They also absorb a great deal of flavour from the brine, spicing it up with mustard seeds, turmeric or even paprika can give a real kick to your pickle!

If you’re looking to pickle this summer take a look at our vast array of preserving jars online and order your stocks today!

At this time of year when the days are long, and the nights are mild, many of us choose to reunite with friends and family around a BBQ with some games in the garden. Here at glass jars and bottles, we’ve got some ideas to make your garden party extra special and some gift suggestions to really impress your guests!

Centre of Attention
Gathering a group and eating outdoors is one of life’s small pleasures, but when dining al fresco, many overlook table decorations that can add a bit of flair to a meal. One simple way to dress your dining up is with a table centrepiece. This doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, simply trimming some home-grown flowers and sliding them into a green wine bottle is an easy, rustic way to add a splash of colour to the table.

Light it Up
BBQ’s and daytime rendezvous often find a way of creeping into the night time and before you know it darkness descends. But rather than trying to shimmy everyone inside, a bit of stylish lighting can extend the party by a few hours. Mini hexagonal jam jars filled with small tea lights or battery-operated string lights make for a pretty and practical solution, and can even be hung from tree branches with the help of a little bit of string.
​
Go Home with a Gift
Once the soiree is over, sending your guests home with a small gift is a nice token of appreciation. For the adults in attendance a small sample of some home-made liquor or infused gin inside a swing top bottle is a welcome little night-cap. Not forgetting the children, a small sample of sweeties is just the trick and when enclosed in a classic sweet shop jar it makes the gift that extra bit special.