make jam

The weekend was rainy and kind of a bummer until my mom told me that she picked up pectin and jars both. We picked raspberries and blackberries from the neighbors bushes and I made a dozen jars of jam, raspberry peach and raspberry blackberry. I used half the sugar that the recipe called for and it still set up beautifully and tasted wonderful.

This was fun, fulfilling and a joint effort. Tommy and I make a great team. I picked the mulberries from our crazy mulberry tree, I washed, stemmed and crushed the berries, and Tommy did the rest.

The result was 8 and a half jars of lovely, fulfilling, delicious, bright red jam.

The recipe we used:

3 cups crushed mulberries
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
6 cups sugar
1 package (57 g) pectin

Wash, stem and crush berries, one layer at a time; measure 3 cups.

My mom is good at making jam each summer, and I’ve been mooching off her batches the last few years. This year, I’d love to make some freezer jam batches for myself and some canned batches to give to others for gifts. If I picked my own raspberries (my favorite kind of jam), that would be even better!

this just sounds fun!

I’ve seen the pack of strawberry on sale which is just good for jam making. But I’ve alreaday done a big shopping so I couldn’t bring them back.

Next time, I’ll buy bounch of straberry for jam!

My auntie gave my mum a jar of homemade blackberry jelly – it was only a little jar – but she was so pleased with it
If she had given her a bought one – it would have been nice – but not SO nice.

Or Relish (I didn’t read the end of the title)

Apple, Plum and Onion Jam Relish

5 garlic cloves
10 cm piece of fresh root ginger
2 green chillies, deseeded if liked and chopped
675g sweet onions, peeled and chopped
500g red plums, stoned and chopped
1kg cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped.
360ml cider vinegar
300g white granulated sugar
1tbsp salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage

Using the small bowl of a food processor or a pestle and mortar work the garlic, ginger and chillies into a paste.

Pu all the ingredients except the sage in a preserving pan and bring to the boil, stiring until the sugar has dissolved.

Over a fairly low heat, simmer the relish for 40 mins or until it is reduced and thickish. Stir in the sage and continue to simmer for a further 2-3 minutes until it has reached the desired consistency.

Pot the relish in hot sterlised jars cover with vinegar proof seals and label

Store in a cool dark place

other
Yellow plums work equally as well

_{what is a preserving pan?}

We picked them and strained them and cooked them and it is the best jelly I haVe ever had. YUMM

This is a lot easier than you think! It’s a little work, but very worth it. It tastes better, you can control the ingredients and you will be proud of what you’ve done! Cheers to all who do this!

My great-aunt used to make blueberry jam! It was so good. So I’ve made some blueberry jam of my own. It’s not as hard as you’d think, honestly. It didn’t even take that long. Now I’m thinking that I need to make some other things..like chow chow and pickles. And preserved figs! I’m only doing high-acid foods because I can’t be bothered with the pressure canners.