Kitchen Garden Forum

You just have a dirty mind young Lizzie.


Thank heavens I'm not alone in that.

It's Grocks fault. I've known her too long.... she's corrupted me... She's a naughty Grock.....

I once wrote and complained to ? Cross & Blackwell about their Branston Pickle jars: I nearly broke a wrist trying to open one!

They have apologised, and it may be my imagination, but they are easier to open these days!!!

Dear All,
on my allotment site it is usually me that is the one to do the technical stuff. Come to think of it it is the same at work.... In the Gardens dept where I work if it involves a paint brush or proper carpentry it is my job, mainly because the lads are pathetic at said tasks. Although I do draw the line at mains electricity, crawling around on roofs and plumbing. Besides we have maintenance chaps to do that sort of thing. I am a dab hand with a concrete mixer too, I made up three tons of concrete this week, but I did leave the lads to use it and the concrete mixer went back cleaner than when it came.
Regards Sally Wright.[/i]

Yes, getting lids off is a real problem. I also find it impossible to get the corks out of wine bottles using a corkscrew so the screw top bottles are a real blessing as far as I'm concerned. I recently had to go alcohol free for several days when my other half was away because the only wine bottles we had all had corks in. I was either faced with bashing the neck of the bottle on an outside brick wall or popping round to one of the neighbours to ask for assistance, which would have made me look a real desperate alchie !! Had to settle for drinking tea instead !

Hi Primrose, Lizze,
Sorry I can not help with corks but I can help with getting lids of Gerkins.

First thing is to boil a kettle and leave for a minute or so, the water has to be hot but not boiling. Then take gerkins in hand holding at the bottom of the jar and over the sink, You will have the jar upside down or at least at an angle were the hot water will run round the neck of the jar, You then drizzle the hot water over the neck of the jar just under the lid do this for 5 or 6 seconds. Place the jar on the worktop, Then cover the top of the jar with a tea towel as the lid will be hot and remove the lid.
The other way is to punch a hole in the lid with the imperlimpment of your choice Knife,Screwdriver Hammer & Nail, This will release's the build up of presure in the jar, The downside to this is you have to eat the contents of said jar quickly as it is not now airtight, Also you will have to buy new lids for when you are pickling for Britain come September.

I hope this is of some to you all.

Kind Regards


Kevin

Ps Lizze as I know were you allotment is I ask myself this do I tell the lads on your plot of your little Game [quote]

You can get a corkscrew that you just put over the top of the bottle, push the levers down and the cork comes out. No effort required at all.

Go to

http://www.decuisine.co.uk/cookshop/bar ... eners.html

Going back to lids on jars that won't move - the answer is a rubber band. The bigger/thicker the better. Put it round the offending lid and turn. Don't know why it works, but it does.

If you want a sophisticated version of the same solution, go to Lakeland.

or just wear a rubber glove !

There is a strap spanner with a Neoprene strap and this would assist you girls opening very tight lids.
These are very easy to use and because I have difficulty with my hands at present I use one myself.
(And the first one of you to call me an old woman is a 'deadun'!!)
JB.

And Briabantia also do an excellent hand held "twist and unscrew" gadget for opening those tight jars and screw cap lids. I wouldn't be without mine. Unfortunately it can't cope with opening oysters though which always seem to be a major operation in our house, even with the proper oyster opening knife. I always feel I should be standing by waiting to rush my other half to A & E when he performs this operation, although I did see on Ready Steady Cook the other day one of the Chefs demonstrating how to do this. But the experts always make it look so simple!

I don't mind if you do Kev, I think they suspect anyway.......

If anyone has one of those stretchy band things off their Physio, they can be used too for awkward jars etc..

I have most problems in getting the lid off bottled fruit. If you pull at the little bit sticking out from the rubber seal, it is liable to break off.
I now turn the jar upside-down on the hot lid on the Aga and leave for 15 mins or so, and that heats up the air inside, so the vacuum is less strong and I can slip in a teaspoon handle and lever it off.
But surely there must be an easier way??
Alison.

Dear Alison,
are the jars the le parfait kind? If so then the method for taking off the tops is as follows.
1, undo the holding down clip.
2, put the loose end of the clip under the lid piece of the metal clip. The bit that sticks out.
3, use the lower clip as a lever and it should come loose.
I hope I have explained this clearly enough.
Regards Sally Wright.