This is based on a Danish recipe for a delicious cross between a jam and conserve. The result does not set solid but is very full of fruit. In Denmark it is often stored away to be eaten in late winter or early spring when it is as welcome as a tonic. Any large fruited, fleshy rose-hips will do either from the wild or from bushes such as the Japanese rugosa garden roses.

What could be more luxurious than a jar of delicious peaches preserved in cognac? This receipe is suitable for almost any variety of peach or nectarine, either the sort you would find in the supermarket or fresh from your own garden.

Ingredients 8 ripe peaches, weighing about 1 kg (2 lb), 325 g (12 oz) granulated sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks and 6 cloves, 125 ml (5 fl oz) cognac, 300ml (1/2 pt) water

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and remove it from the heat. Slip te peaches in whole, two by two, for two minutes, then remove them to a bowl of cold water with a spoon, spear them with a fork and peel off their skins with a small sharp knife. Bring the water back to the boil between skinnings. Keep the peaches whole. If the skin won't come off easily, then carefully resort to a potato peeler. Dissolve the sugar in half a pint (300 ml) water, add the spices and bring to a slow boil. Simmer the peaches for five minutes. Transfer them to sterilsed jars with a slotted spoon along with the spices. Measure 150ml (6 fl oz) of the syrup in to a small pan and add the cognac. Bring the syrup to the boil and pour over the peaches in jars to overflowing. Seal the jars and store in a cool dark place. Any leftover syrup can be kept in the fridge and is delicious over fruit salads or for poaching fruit.

Ingredients 2kg (4 1/2 lb) yellow tomatos, 450g (1 lb) onions, 450g (1 lb) yellow peppers, salt, 700g (1 1/2 lb) sugar, 900ml (1 1/2 pints) white wine or cider vingar, 10g (1/2 oz) whole mustard seed, 10g (1/2 oz) ground cayenne pepper, 10g (1/2 oz) ground turmeric, 10g (1/2 oz) ground cumin, 3 gloves garlic, chopped

Peel tomatoes if you have the patience - some people do not mind the bits of skin in the finished chutney. Alternatively, to skin tomatoes drop into boiling water, leave for 4 minutes the plunge into cold water and peel. Slice tomatoes, onions and yellow peppers. Put them into a large shallow dish and sprinkle with salt. Leave overnight then rise off the salt and drain. Put sugar, vinegar and spices into a large pan and stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add the drained fruit and vegetables. Simmer gently for about three hours, stirring frequently. The chutney is ready when it has a good jammy texture but you may need to add more vingear or simmer it a bit longer to reach this stage. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly before potting into sterlised jars and sealing. Leave to mature for several weeks before eating.

Correctly sterilised jars are an essential, if unglamourous part of successful preserving. Unsterlised jars will result in the contents going "off" quickly and may even make an unsuspecting eater ill.

If you are using old jars, firstly remove any traces of previous labels and glue with a tough metal scourer and some neat washing up liquid. Wash and rinse throughly, or better still put in the dishwasher for a really through clean.

Immerse fully in a large pan of boiling water and boil for ten minutes. Fish out with spotless tongs, drain and leave to dry naturally, right way up, on kitchen paper set in a roasting tin. Do not handle the jars at any point.

Alternatively, place about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) water in each jar and place in the microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes. Take care not to overfill as the boiling water can be disatrous in a microwave - I know, I have blown a microwave that way! Again, do not handle the jars, but carefully empty the boiling water out and leave to dry naturally.

If you don't intend to use them immediately, stand the jars on their paper in a roasting tin and put into a warm oven (about 140^oC/120^oC fan oven / gas mark 1) until you are ready to fill them up.