Urban Shocker
Doyenne
I'm distributing some to UT members on Saturday.
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I went to Loblaws...
- Thread starter 3Dementia
- Start date
AndreaPalladio
Senior Member
How many bushes do you have? I can only get 3 jars from two pints of berries.
FYI, the raspberry people at the market said that Saturday was the last day for raspberries. But the peaches and apricots are in now.
FYI, the raspberry people at the market said that Saturday was the last day for raspberries. But the peaches and apricots are in now.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
AP:
* 1 redcurrant - it produces massive amounts of fruit - I can't pick it all. I tie the branches to two stakes near the centre of the bush every spring, otherwise they'd collapse under the weight.
* 3 blackcurrants - combined, they produce considerably less fruit, even in a good year, than the redcurrant. But the taste is stronger.
* 1 large gooseberry and 3 smaller ones. What I don't use for jam I pick for desserts with yogurt.
* 2 raspberry plants. They are different varieties, and one starts producing berries a couple of weeks before the other. This year they've produced huge amounts of fruit. They'll be finished by the end of this week. What I didn't used for jam last week I'm eating for dessert.
* Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb ...
By the end of this week I'll have almost 16 litres of jam in my fridge!
I'd drop you off a jar or two in your lobby, but you're such a shy woodland creature you probably wouldn't venture out into the open clearing at the edge of the forest to collect it. Or, if you want the extra redcurrants, I can pick a whole load of them.
Home made jam is the sort of thing that, when you give it to people you visit, they sometimes say, "Oh you shouldn't have ..." ... and you know they mean it.
* 1 redcurrant - it produces massive amounts of fruit - I can't pick it all. I tie the branches to two stakes near the centre of the bush every spring, otherwise they'd collapse under the weight.
* 3 blackcurrants - combined, they produce considerably less fruit, even in a good year, than the redcurrant. But the taste is stronger.
* 1 large gooseberry and 3 smaller ones. What I don't use for jam I pick for desserts with yogurt.
* 2 raspberry plants. They are different varieties, and one starts producing berries a couple of weeks before the other. This year they've produced huge amounts of fruit. They'll be finished by the end of this week. What I didn't used for jam last week I'm eating for dessert.
* Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb ...
By the end of this week I'll have almost 16 litres of jam in my fridge!
I'd drop you off a jar or two in your lobby, but you're such a shy woodland creature you probably wouldn't venture out into the open clearing at the edge of the forest to collect it. Or, if you want the extra redcurrants, I can pick a whole load of them.
Home made jam is the sort of thing that, when you give it to people you visit, they sometimes say, "Oh you shouldn't have ..." ... and you know they mean it.
AndreaPalladio
Senior Member
I love that people think jam is hard to make. People are always thrilled to get mine - but everyone I know has seen Six Degrees of Separation many times, and so appreciate the gift of a pot of jam.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
It takes time though - pickin' the friggin' berries, cooking them, straining off the pips ( or, in your case I suppose, pippypoos ) if you're making jelly, etc. Then making sure the Mason jars are steralized, making sure you've got enough sugar and Certo to create a 'setting point' ... and cleaning up afterwards.
The nicest part of the process is hearing all the lids go 'tick' when the vacuum seals form as they sit on the counter.
The nicest part of the process is hearing all the lids go 'tick' when the vacuum seals form as they sit on the counter.
AndreaPalladio
Senior Member
I LOVE the random popping of the jars sealing themselves.
Then only jelly I make is pepper - thus, no seeds to strain. Everthing else gets jammed - no straining and no certo.
Now. Sterilizing. Boiling water, or the oven? I do lids in the water and jars in the oven.
Then only jelly I make is pepper - thus, no seeds to strain. Everthing else gets jammed - no straining and no certo.
Now. Sterilizing. Boiling water, or the oven? I do lids in the water and jars in the oven.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
I do both in water. Never had a problem.
Without Certo how do you judge how much sugar to use? I keep notes from year to year and have managed to get the consistency problem solved.
Even the jams I strain a bit.
Without Certo how do you judge how much sugar to use? I keep notes from year to year and have managed to get the consistency problem solved.
Even the jams I strain a bit.
AndreaPalladio
Senior Member
I just keep cooking and testing on a saucer until it reaches the jam stage.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
Yes, I do that too. Then there's an almighty rush to get four litres of rapidly setting jam poured through a funnel into 250ml jars and lids screwed on. The gooseberries used to get stuck in the funnel until I pulverised them more during the cooking process.
Tomorrow morning I'm making blackcurrant/redcurrant jelly. This is always the most time-consuming one to prepare, but often the best.
I'm still finishing up my 2006 jams. I don't know how long they'll keep, but with all that sugar and pectin I'm thinking well into the next century.
Tomorrow morning I'm making blackcurrant/redcurrant jelly. This is always the most time-consuming one to prepare, but often the best.
I'm still finishing up my 2006 jams. I don't know how long they'll keep, but with all that sugar and pectin I'm thinking well into the next century.
AndreaPalladio
Senior Member
I always assume that properly sealed, they'll last more or less forever. I still have some plum/apricot from 05 which is plenty tasty.
I never bother with a funnel. Something more to be washed. I work with small batches and just ladle the jam into the jars.
I never bother with a funnel. Something more to be washed. I work with small batches and just ladle the jam into the jars.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
Perhaps we can interest Galen Jr. in stocking a very limited supply of our delicious comestibles?
Do the two of you just not get it? How many times do I have to tell you to stop taking over threads like this. Keep it to your own thread or else we'll have to take more serious measures to stop this.
scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
^ But they're right on topic - seasonal Ontario fruit. Anyone else is free to post comments about produce in between the AP/US banter to break it up.
Observer Walt
Senior Member
I normally wouldn't read such stuff, but I actually find this thread interesting. My mother used to make raspberry jam, and it brings back memories ...
adma
Superstar
I like eating strawberries/raspberries/gooseberries/redcurrants straight. More sensual (albeit selfish) that way