My Heritage Preserves recipes have developed since 1891, over five generations to me and now to my son David. These recipes accompanied my great grandmother, as a young bride to Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, to marry Doctor Frederick de Lisle, the first general practitioner in the district in the 19th century. 

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I have fond memories of making preserves with Granny as a child. Peeling fruit, chopping apples and crying over peeled onions, all gathered from the family orchard or vegetable garden, measuring sugar, spices, salt & vinegar, stirring, while it cooked, until it was just right, and then storing away in crocks or glass jars to mature. 

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Now living in Queenstown, Central Otago, I have continued her philosophy and with time have developed old fruit and vegetable combinations, always using the best quality produce while not altering the original recipes, except for malt vinegar to white vinegar to make gluten free preserves. 

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Indeed, these premium products are divine freshly made, but heavenly the longer they can stay on the pantry shelf as they have no use by date and flavour intensifies with age. I have now passed the recipe onto my son David, who is the fifth generation in the family to continue this legacy.

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Gaye Bartlett