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178 Bottling in the Miele steam oven The process of bottling is used to maintain and store di erent types of food. Fruit and vegetables are suitable for bottling. Gardeners with extensive harvests, large families and those who love to host are all aware of the advantages of bottling. Ideally, you should bottle your fruit and vegetables while they are still in season as most vitamins and minerals will be retained and the prices will be at their lowest. This will mean you won’t have to buy these items further down the line and they’ll be ready for your family and guests when you need them. Bottling inhibits or even stops biochemical and microbiological processes, which cause the food to spoil over time. It therefore retains the flavour and extends the shelf life of the food when done correctly. Bottling Only use unblemished, fresh produce which is in good condition. Jars Only use sterilised jars and accessories. You can use jars with twist-off lids or with glass lids and a rubber seal. Make sure that all the jars are the same size so that the bottling process is carried out evenly. After you have filled the jars with the produce, clean the glass rims with a clean cloth and hot water and then seal the jars. Fruit Remove the blemished fruit, wash and dry the produce thoroughly. Berries need to be washed carefully as they are very sensitive and are easily squashed. Remove any peel, stems, pips or stones if necessary. Cut up large fruit; for examp- le, cut apples into slices. If you are bottling fruit with stones (e.g. plums, apricots), pierce the fruit several times with a fork or wooden skewer as otherwise it will burst. Vegetables Rinse, clean and cut up vegetables. Vegetables should be blanched before bottling to help them retain their colour (see “Blanching in the Miele steam oven”).