Preserving in the rain

The garden is thriving in the rain we've been having, with lots of plants flowering. Alas, it has been too wet to do much other than some occasional weeding.

On my list of things to do is prepare some beds for some plants I will be holding for a friend who is moving houses shortly. While I watch wistfully out the window, I have been doing some prep for cider making this fall (having picked up a generous donation of bottles and whatnot) and reading some new books on preserves.

Last night I tried my hand at rhubarb-orange butter. I have been looking for recipes to do something interesting with rhubarb and this one was about the right size and duration. It has an interesting tart-tropical taste that is somewhere between marmalade and mango jam.

When the rhubarb patch recovers, I plan to give rhubarb chutney a go. In the meantime, a few dry days to ride a bike and thin the weeds would be much appreciated!