1. Add the preserves to a small saucepan.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and add the cider vinegar.
3. Add the peppercorns, allspice berries and bay leaf to a spice grinder and grind until the mixture is a powder. Add this to the saucepan.
4. Heat the saucepan over medium heat and keep stirring. Keep the pan over the heat until small bubbles form around the edges then remove from heat.
5. Let the strawberry preserves cool to room temperature.

Strawberry Ricotta Toasties

1. Butter one side of a slice of brioche and place it into a saute pan butter side down.
2. Spoon and spread the ricotta onto the bread.
3. Sprinkle the cheese with almond slices (this give the sandwich a nice crunch).
4. Spoon the preserves over top of the almonds.
5. Heat over medium heat.
6. Butter another slice of brioche and place it butter side up on top of the preserves.
7. Once the bottom slice has turned golden brown, flip the sandwich so that you can brown the other slice of bread. (The browning of the brioche will not take long.)
8. Remove toastie to a plate and continue the same with the remaining brioche.
9. Slice toasties on the diagonal and serve.