Mulberry &
Anise Jam

The flavour of mulberries goes well with aniseed. If you are making jam, throw in a star anise or, if you want to keep it wild, some fennel seeds.

You’ll need:

• Equal weights mulberries and sugar.
• Juice of one lemon for every lb.
• Star anise/wild fennel seeds

Mulberry trees are used to cultivate silk worms. They bear a wonderful fruit, somewhere between a fig and a raspberry in flavour. There are a few different varieties, including white mulberries (my favourite) and black mulberries (the sweetest and strongest in flavour). Mulberry trees often pop up in the grounds of stately homes around London. There are lots in the grounds of the Old Naval College, Greenwich.

Heat the mulberries, sugar and lemon juice until gently simmering. Add the anise or fennel seeds. Stir constantly, and skim any froth from the surface. When your spoon parts the jam, it is ready for jarring up.