Jam Blog

[persephone33]

I am an incredibly blessed person.  This isn't a new realization; on some level, I know this to be true daily.  However, I do have days where I get sucked into a "me" depression spiral.  Thankfully, these days are balanced by the knowledge that I serve a merciful and benevolent God who gives me all the grace I could possibly ask for.  He's pretty incredible.  Mad props to God, yo.

Meanwhile, under the cut, it's pretty image intensive.  Watch out!

I've spent the last two days with my very sweet and patient MIL making jam.  There are lots of wild plum thickets down at our place in Childress, (aptly named Plum Creek) and the in-laws picked 2 five lb. buckets full of the tart fruit.  I've been bugging MIL to show me how to make jelly or can vegetables for 9 years, now (I'm not sure why.  Pleasant memories of my Granny's pickes, perhaps?).  

Anyway, between the plum thickets and the peach trees (Who know we had those?  Not me!) we canned 57 half-pint jars of plum jam and 6 jars of peach preserves.  I broke my 'no sugar' rule for the first time in 16 months to taste them and they are SO GOOD.  Truly.  Anyone want some jam?

We started with this...


Then cook them...


Then strain the CRAP out of them...


Then add fruit pectin and a metric ton of sugar...  boil...


Put it into jars...


Put the lids on...                                                                             Place them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes...


And this is the result.  This isn't even all of them!  It was lots of fun...  Wish you'd been there, Jennifer!

Random FYI:  I'm the biggest dork EVER.  I was doing a crossword at the pool today where #63 across was "spoke snake" and had 6 letters.  My first thought?  Parseltongue won't fit there.  Answer:  hissed.  =P

Comments

[persephone33.livejournal.com]

I wish we had access to lots of strawberries, here. They don't grow here. Something about the soil being too alkaline? But they're $5 a package at the grocery store, so if I bought enough to can, they'd end up being a million dollars a jar! That kind of defeats the purpose.

[kristibisci.livejournal.com]

We have no shortage of strawberries here but the growing season is very short. My mom really takes advantage of it. I think she's made strawberry shortcake three times in the last two weeks! We try to justify it by thinking that since angel foodcake is fat free, the whipped cream just balances it out. ;) Anyway, your preserves look so yummsy! I want some!

[persephone33.livejournal.com]

You do live in Canada, don't you?