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3:02 pm
Fri 25-Nov-11
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Hello!
I am making my first ever chutney to give as presents this christmas.
I'm making Mary Berry's christmas chutney.
I have followed every ingredient and instruction to a T, as i type it is reducing away in a saucepan.
BUT.... all i can smell is the white wine vinegar? I have double, no, triple checked i have used the right amount, i have! But i can't help panicking it's going to taste AWFUL!
Am i over reacting? Or is there something i can do?
Please help me! lol 
3:24 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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Nearly forgot to say, hello and welcome first 
, hence the edit! 
Anyway relax! Chutneys always smell awful when cooking. The house smells like a vinegar factory for days when I'm on a roll. I am presuming that the chutney recipe says it is fine after a month too if it says Christmas chutney? I have a chutney recipe I use for green tomatoes and I make it in October and wouldn't dream of opening it for at least 10 months, whereas some chutneys like Fiona's green tomato one are great by Christmas.
3:58 pm
Supreme Being
Wed 30-Dec-09
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I agree with Joanna - and welcome from me, too - but try tasting a little, it may be just the smell and not the taste!
8:54 pm
Fri 25-Nov-11
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Thank you!
I feel a little silly for over reacting now 
My sinuses have never felt soo clear after all the vinegar i inhaled this afternoon!
I feel much more relaxed about it all now, and am pretty confident it will turn out fine. I've baked alot for a few years and this was something completely new to me.
It does say in the recipe to leave for at least a month, so fingers crossed!
I would try the chutney if it weren't for one thing, i have a huge dislike for tomatoes and peppers.. the 2 main ingredients aside from the onion and aubergine!
I'm feeling quite inspired now, and think it's something i will definitely be doing more of! Especially next summer when we have an abundance of tomatoes and peppers in my garden, (this time i bought them) my 7 year old practically inhales them and takes great pleasure in growing copius amounts that get passed around to anyone that will take them. Not any longer! 
10:09 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
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I don't open my chutney for 6 months and label them with the date they can be started. Difficult when you first start but over time to get used to the stock control thing!
Welcome to the gang
Trying to enjoy life as it is
5:00 pm
Councillor
New members
Tue 20-Apr-10
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Hi Lilphoe and welcome. I have made Mary Berry's Christmas Chutney this year and it is very good, I have made a second batch with some changes to it where I dropped out the hot spices and added birdseye chillies which I sliced into small slivers, I used 8 of them with their seeds. I also added a couple of other seeds to the mix but am away from home now until Monday to look up what else I did and if anything that was an improvement on my first attempt with MB's recipe but you are right, Pickle/Relish making is very good for clearing the tubes.
I know it says to leave it for a month to develop, NO CHANCE and in fact as an insurance since I have given loads of it away I am going to make another lot which I hope will go into the store.
I have reached an age where my train of thought often leaves the station without me...
7:42 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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We are on the rolling stock now, I am just getting through last years chutney and won't start on this years for quite a while. It just means you need loads and loads of jars, especially as we are more likely to use it than ketchup these days.
The only thing I had heard was to be careful of the vinegar fumes if you are asthmatic as it robs the air of oxygen. I am slightly but not enough to worry about and it isn't too bad.
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