Black Butter Le Nier Beurre

The National Trust for Jersey will once again be making ‘Black Butter’ at The Elms, La Chève Rue, St. Mary with cider apples from its orchards around the Island.

Volunteers are invited to embrace the community spirit and participate in the ancient art of ‘Black Butter’ making. Apple peeling commences from 14:00 to 17:00 on Thursday 07 October and participants will be rewarded with tea and Jersey Wonders for their efforts. There is no need to pre-book or bring anything unless volunteers have a favourite apple peeler and all ages are welcome.

On Friday 08 October apple peeling will resume at 10:00 and early in the morning the fire will be lit in the bake house and the peeled apples will start to be added to a giant copper bâchin.

Stirring of this wonderful aromatic mixture will commence through the day and all through the night until the early hours of Saturday morning. Towards the end of the cooking, spices, liquorice and lemons will be added and late morning jars will be filled with the freshly made ‘Black Butter’, labelled and topped with pretty fabric covers.

Friday evening is always a lively affair with a supper, this year provided by Pink Panda, and live music. The music and food hopefully encouraging and entertaining the hardy peelers and stirrers into the evening! Breakfast is also provided for those brave volunteers that stir into the small hours.

On Saturday the usually sleepy courtyard at The Elms will be transformed and filled with stalls selling a host of ‘Genuine Jersey’ produce including cider and sausages, wood fired pizza, locally produced honey (some from the hives in the orchard at The Elms), chilies and jams, homemade candles and ceramics, fudge, teas, coffees and cakes as well as flour milled at Le Moulin de Quétivel and of course the delicious, dark and fragrant freshly made Black Butter, often referred to as ‘Christmas in a jar’.

Parish 13, Lyra, Kevin Pallot, Georgi Mottram and Acappella Brass will be performing together with ‘Les Chaboleurs’ and The Helier Morris Men.

Parking is available at Granite Products with a shuttle service to and from the site throughout the day.

The apple peeling marquee will be decorated by Graeme Le Marquand President of the Jersey Branch of the National Vegetable Society. The Trust would also like to thank Granite Products for the use of its site for parking, Mrs Perrée for the loan of the rabôts and Sam Pallot for the bachin!

Apple Preserves Competition

Rathbone Investment Management International is generously supporting this year’s event – its UK parent having been a sponsor of the world famous Dalemain Marmalade Festival at Dalemain Estate in Penrith in Cumbria.

We thought that we would emulate this preserving event and adding to the usual hive of activity in and around Lé Nièr Beurre will be an apple preserves and baking competition to see who can make the best apple jams, jellies, pies and cakes. The competition is open to all ages and features children’s categories and a children’s biscuit making and decorating competition…

For more information and to complete an application form please go to www.nationaltrust.je/apple-preserves-competition/ or call the Trust office on + 44 (0) 1534 483193 during working hours.

For more information please contact Charles Alluto or Donna Le Marrec on + 44 (0) 1534 483193.