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Janet

In article >,
says...
>
> On 10/05/2013 4:25 PM, Nancy2 wrote:
> > On May 10, 10:56 am, Dave Smith > wrote:
> >> On 10/05/2013 11:00 AM, jmcquown wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> I'm not someone who makes jam or has a need to seal jars, but as others
> >>> have mentioned, it seems to me this stuff wouldn't seal worth a darn.
> >>
> >> My mother used to recycle jars for jam. She would seal the jars with
> >> paraffin wax and then put a piece of cellophane over the mouth and screw
> >> the top on. It did a pretty good job of keeping the jars sealed.
> >
> > The paraffin sealed them; the cellophane was just decorative.
> >
>
> The paraffin was not always a perfect seal. I guess she thought she was
> doubling up on the seal.

In my youth, home made jams and marmalade were always covered with
just a wax-paper circle, then a cellophane circle fixed on with a rubber
band. You apply the cellophane while the jam was still hot and as it
cooled it shrank and the cellophane depressed tight with the vacuum. No
other lid. Lots of people here still do it that way.

All my marmalade and curd jars are recycled year after year, and I
recycle/re-use the metal screw tops too.I just use a wax-paper circle
and the screw top, no cellophane. We can buy new, pretty replacement
screw tops but I've never needed to yet :-) I prefer them because once
the jar is open and in use, a screw top is easier than fiddling with
cellophane and rubber bands.

The wax paper discs we buy here are often sold in a set with cellophane
tops and rubber bands.At home-produce shows I often see (and buy) them
sealed that way.

Janet UK