Jam, Jam, Jam
The gateway food to 'putting up your garden largesse for the winter'.
I am a bit of purist about Jam, I really don't want to get too fancy, I think that combining fruit(s), together, with spices or flavoring is good if your fruit isn't up to the grade. But when the fruit tastes so great, and your only problem is you can survive eating on that fruit day in and day out before the fruit spoils well, then I say just preserve as much as you can.
I seem to be unable to do anything without a book, our first year with the fruit trees I borrowed books from the library, until I found a copy of Ball basic tips-
http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/0778801314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298244316&sr=8-1
I tried to find a book put out by the jar company of Australia which was a company called Fowlers not Ball but I haven't found one yet.
I did use the book as a guideline for making apricot butter this year.
But I would describe apricot butter 'jam you put through a processor'. Although as you see in the photo, after it is processed you cook it one more time to thicken the mixture.
I also use about a fourth of the sugar recommended.
I do use pectin, natural pectin because our tree is on a two year cycle, and I did just use the last jar of jam about two months ago-and I think pectin has a lot to do with longevity. I also split the apricot kernels and cook the fruit with the center bit, as almost any person over the age of fifty will tell you to do so.
Jam making at least in Tasmania is really, really common. I don't remember ever even idly thinking of making jam when I lived in America.
I can't imagine not making jam, or eating jam that came off an assembly line.
I can only feel sad for anyone I know who hasn't experienced the difference between a tomato from their garden, and the ones from a large store or the difference between homemade jam and jam from a grocery store. I really plan on storing my jam for at least two years, as many people here already have jam and therefore I find it hard to find people who want any. Plus I get nervous about getting my jars back...so I like to give jam to the trustworthy.
We will see if the neighbors across the road return my jars to me...
(Of course if you are reading this and want but didn't get jam just call me).
Making jam is really as easy. You don't need a recipe, also if you only want to store your jam for less than a year, I don't think you even need to be that careful about the process. If there is a fruit tree in your area, I would knock on the door and just ask for a few pounds of fruit.
This is what I do.
I rinse the fruit, cut a small x into skin at the bottom of each fruit.
I flash boil them, this is an obvious process as you can see the skin coming away, transfer to a large bowl filled with cold water and the fruit practically comes unpeeled on its own.
The skinless fruit is then cut into chunks- this makes it easy to pull out the seed/core and cut away any bad bits you couldn't see with the skin on.
These go straight into a pot, I add sugar about 1/4 of a cup and another 1/4 if taste dictates.
I add the juice of one lemon to help the color set.
Pectin needs to be whisked into the mixture thoroughly.
I let it boil to get the heat high, and then simmer for about five minutes.
I like my jam thick so I strain it a bit as I put it into the jars.
I use the left over as well, as this goes really well into smoothies.
Then I boil each jar for about 10 minutes, let them sit for 5 minutes off the heat.
After the five minutes of 'resting' I transfer them using tongs to the counter and wait for that wonderful 'pop' sound that says, "Well done!" your jar is sealed.
I don't use anything fancy and I re-use my lids and jars.
I run them through the dish washer but you could boil them.
I also just cut the best of the fruit in half and place them in jars and top them with light simple syrup about a fifth cup sugar to every one cup of water.
I don't take off the skins or cook them, but I leave them in the boiling water for 20 minutes to make sure the lids set.
Winter is much nicer when you can go down to your basement/garage/pantry and get a jar of fruit, from your garden, or stolen (kindly) from a neighbor.
Try it! You won't be sorry.
I'm going camping- excited but apprehensive...I am pretty sure that my time in a tent is wholly comprised of a trip in the sixth grade and sleeping out in my yard, in Hollywood California.
Also I am not bring ANY make-up, so other than the time Zok and I were up in the Arctic Circle where make-up was rendered impossible, this event is a first.
The gateway food to 'putting up your garden largesse for the winter'.
I am a bit of purist about Jam, I really don't want to get too fancy, I think that combining fruit(s), together, with spices or flavoring is good if your fruit isn't up to the grade. But when the fruit tastes so great, and your only problem is you can survive eating on that fruit day in and day out before the fruit spoils well, then I say just preserve as much as you can.
I seem to be unable to do anything without a book, our first year with the fruit trees I borrowed books from the library, until I found a copy of Ball basic tips-
http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/0778801314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298244316&sr=8-1
I tried to find a book put out by the jar company of Australia which was a company called Fowlers not Ball but I haven't found one yet.
I did use the book as a guideline for making apricot butter this year.
But I would describe apricot butter 'jam you put through a processor'. Although as you see in the photo, after it is processed you cook it one more time to thicken the mixture.
I also use about a fourth of the sugar recommended.
I do use pectin, natural pectin because our tree is on a two year cycle, and I did just use the last jar of jam about two months ago-and I think pectin has a lot to do with longevity. I also split the apricot kernels and cook the fruit with the center bit, as almost any person over the age of fifty will tell you to do so.
Jam making at least in Tasmania is really, really common. I don't remember ever even idly thinking of making jam when I lived in America.
I can't imagine not making jam, or eating jam that came off an assembly line.
I can only feel sad for anyone I know who hasn't experienced the difference between a tomato from their garden, and the ones from a large store or the difference between homemade jam and jam from a grocery store. I really plan on storing my jam for at least two years, as many people here already have jam and therefore I find it hard to find people who want any. Plus I get nervous about getting my jars back...so I like to give jam to the trustworthy.
We will see if the neighbors across the road return my jars to me...
(Of course if you are reading this and want but didn't get jam just call me).
Making jam is really as easy. You don't need a recipe, also if you only want to store your jam for less than a year, I don't think you even need to be that careful about the process. If there is a fruit tree in your area, I would knock on the door and just ask for a few pounds of fruit.
This is what I do.
I rinse the fruit, cut a small x into skin at the bottom of each fruit.
I flash boil them, this is an obvious process as you can see the skin coming away, transfer to a large bowl filled with cold water and the fruit practically comes unpeeled on its own.
The skinless fruit is then cut into chunks- this makes it easy to pull out the seed/core and cut away any bad bits you couldn't see with the skin on.
These go straight into a pot, I add sugar about 1/4 of a cup and another 1/4 if taste dictates.
I add the juice of one lemon to help the color set.
Pectin needs to be whisked into the mixture thoroughly.
I let it boil to get the heat high, and then simmer for about five minutes.
I like my jam thick so I strain it a bit as I put it into the jars.
I use the left over as well, as this goes really well into smoothies.
Then I boil each jar for about 10 minutes, let them sit for 5 minutes off the heat.
After the five minutes of 'resting' I transfer them using tongs to the counter and wait for that wonderful 'pop' sound that says, "Well done!" your jar is sealed.
I don't use anything fancy and I re-use my lids and jars.
I run them through the dish washer but you could boil them.
I also just cut the best of the fruit in half and place them in jars and top them with light simple syrup about a fifth cup sugar to every one cup of water.
I don't take off the skins or cook them, but I leave them in the boiling water for 20 minutes to make sure the lids set.
Winter is much nicer when you can go down to your basement/garage/pantry and get a jar of fruit, from your garden, or stolen (kindly) from a neighbor.
Try it! You won't be sorry.
I'm going camping- excited but apprehensive...I am pretty sure that my time in a tent is wholly comprised of a trip in the sixth grade and sleeping out in my yard, in Hollywood California.
Also I am not bring ANY make-up, so other than the time Zok and I were up in the Arctic Circle where make-up was rendered impossible, this event is a first.
1 comment:
I loved your jam. I'm going to have to try this next stone fruit season.
Just wait until you get home from camping all impressed with your nice tan, and then you get out of the shower and realise you are not tanned, at all.
Or maybe that's just me.
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