Preserving fruit with my Fowlers Vacola is one of most favourite things to do. At the height of summer when the stone fruit is the freshest and so sweet and juicy, it’s the best time to be preserving your little darlings. It’s kind of therapeutic too, preparing the fruit, filling the jars and switching on the large silver Fowlers urn. Knowing I’m storing a little piece of goodness in every jar fills me with delight. The act is even sweeter knowing I’m not using any added sugar with my fruit. You can add a little bit of sugar or watered down fruit juice, which can help the colour and texture a little bit and makes for a lighter syrup, but I think it’s important to know you don’t have to add cupfuls of sugar to preserve your fruit.

You can preserve nearly any fruit, and you can pop them in stewed, whole, or chopped.

You literally pop your chosen fruit into your sterilised jars. See how to sterilise your jars here. If you’re using the fruit full or chopped, pop the water into your jars. Stewed, no water required. You can keep the pips in too if you wish, it gives the preserved fruit a slight almond flavour. Then follow the directions for your Fowlers Vacola and hey presto!

Enjoy your fruit with natural yogurt, as a crumble, in a pie or just by themselves!