I spent all day yesterday making Christmas gifts. Mainly, I made Quebec-Martin’s famous Mango-Cranberry Chutney. My idea was to make small jars of preserves for gifts. I bought the jars, but I didn’t have the faintest clue how to make the preserves so I phoned my Dad for advice. Here is what he said:

1. Boil a big pot of water.
2. Turn off the burner and put the jars and the rims in the hot water.
3. Don’t heat the lids with the rubber seal–they’ll melt.
4. Put the hot jam, jelly, chutney (whatever) in the hot jars.
5. Smooth out the air bubbles with a spatula.
6. Put the lid with the rubber seal on the top of the jar and hold down with your fingers.
7. Tap the jar firmly on the counter top four or five times (to get rid of the air).
8. Put the rims on–as tight as you can. Then, tighten them more.

That’s it. Let them cool.

Wow. It was that easy. I now have eight little jars of Mango-Cranberry Chutney. I hope people like them.