Preserve the Seasons
Preserves Course with Rachel at River Cottage – Learn Seasonal Preserving Techniques
Capture the essence of each season with Rachel as she takes you on a hands-on journey of preserving, inspired by the fresh bounty of our kitchen garden, the fruits from our orchards, and the wild hedgerows surrounding our 100-acre organic farm.
Each class is unique to the season—how very River Cottage of us! You’ll learn to make jams, chutneys, pickles, ferments, dried goods, and infused delights from the produce we grow here. By the end of the day, you’ll be ready to preserve the fruits and vegetables from your own garden, local markets, or hedgerows. Plus, you’ll take home a bag filled with jars of your own delicious creations and our special hedgerow preserves.
Preserving isn’t just about making tasty seasonal treats—it’s a brilliant way to reduce waste and give new life to produce you might otherwise overlook.
Scroll down for the full itinerary and book your spot today!
Highlights
- Create a seasonal jam, capturing the flavours of the season to enjoy all year round.
- Craft a flavour-packed chutney, perfect for accompanying any meal or gifting.
- Master the art of pickling, learning how to preserve your glut of fruits and vegetables.
- Explore the world of fermentation, turning simple ingredients into tangy, probiotic-rich treats.
- Discover drying and infusing techniques, preserving the essence of herbs, fruits, and more for future use.
Your day
10:00 - 17:00
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
You'll meet Rachel and start the day with a cup of tea or coffee.
SESSION ONE
Kick off the day with a tasting of Rachel’s favourite preserves, including rosehip jam-filled doughnuts dusted with lemon verbena sugar and crumpets topped with rich blackcurrant curd.
SESSION TWO
Get ready to dive into the art of making seasonal jams! Rachel will explain the science of pectin and show you how to create delicious jams with almost any fruit (or veg!) you have on hand. You’ll learn the secrets to small-batch jam-making, including how to reduce sugar or substitute it with local honey. Plus, we’ll explore the garden for inspiration, adding herbal and seasonal floral twists to your creations!
SESSION THREE
Next, we’ll dive into chutney-making! You’ll learn the difference between chutneys and pickles, and by the end of the day, you’ll have made both, using fresh ingredients from our kitchen garden. You’ll gain the confidence to create tasty batches of each, without needing a recipe, and turn your garden’s bounty into delicious homemade condiments!
LUNCH
For lunch, enjoy a selection of Rachel’s favourite preserves, such as mackerel with oak-smoked beetroot pickles, and horseradish salt-baked celeriac served with pickled mushrooms.
SESSION FOUR
Pickles are one of the easiest ways to preserve your garden gluts! Rachel will guide you through making pickles with both salt brine and vinegar. You’ll learn how to customise and adapt these recipes, so you can use seasonal produce all year round. In this session, we’ll also explore infusing and drying—two simple techniques to preserve seasonal ingredients!
SESSION FIVE
In the afternoon, we’ll dive into fermentation, one of the oldest and healthiest ways to preserve food. You’ll harvest fresh ingredients from our garden to make a tangy sauerkraut, enhanced with seasonal herbs for a magical touch.
SESSION SIX
Once you've packed your jars, Rachel will show you two more fantastic ways to preserve food: drying and infusing. While you relax and sip a homemade brew—like a Honeyed Marmalade Quince G&T—you can enjoy a platter of local cheeses, paired with the pickles and chutneys you’ve made throughout the day.
DEPARTURE
You'll have time to chat with your fellow participants and the River Cottage team before heading back up the hill at 5 PM. You’ll leave with jars of jam, chutney, pickles, and sauerkraut you’ve made, plus a recipe pack packed with tips to help you preserve throughout the seasons.
Further Information
Directions
This course is run from River Cottage HQ on the Dorset/Devon borders. Full address details of HQ will be provided once you have booked.
Licensed Venue
We are a licensed venue. We have a wide selection of the finest organic wines available to purchase.
Accommodation
If you would like to stay at the heart of River Cottage, we offer overnight accommodation at River Cottage HQ in our beautiful 17th century farmhouse. We have three stylishly refurbished bedrooms for B&B plus the 2-bedroom Gardener’s Cottage. These get booked quickly so for more information go to rivercottage.net/stay to book. Alternatively, we have put together a list of our local accommodation which includes B&Bs, self-catering, hotels and camping.
Suitability
We would advise that this course is only really suitable for 12 years of age and upwards. Under 16s must be accompanied by a paying adult. We put these guidelines in place for the safety, comfort and enjoyment of all our guests.
Allergy Advice
Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements or allergies when booking.
