I can’t say for sure, though, because when I make them, they’re not really around for more than a few days after being ready. Especially pickles. And chutney and jams tend to be eaten the same day, often when still warm.

I was a bit overzealous with the Korean cucumber buying last week when I thought I would make Japanese pickles. Time got on and I realised that I’d never gone to buy the salt (it takes kilos) so they have now been sitting in my fridge for two days in salty vinegar. They’re pretty nice, but I’ll try your recipe in future since I, stupidly, didn’t watch the proportions of what I was throwing in this time.

Pickling, canning and syrups were how people kept healthy in the pre-allopathic medicine days. It doubled as both food as medication and food preservation.

Then at the end, you just add salt to taste and squeeze half a lemon on top.

Greens are always funny in that way. At least with us. For whatever reason, it just feels like more work dealing with them so they end up sitting around longer.

But what you’re saying is the same principle as dried fruit, right? The only thing that pops to mind now is the Ron Popeil food dryer — in which I’m told you can dry anything — but I’m sure it can be done in the oven too.

Will have to go look that up and try it.