Ok, I'll admit it, I have a problem: I really like making jam. In the two weeks since fresh fruit has started to become available, I've made 29 (half pint) jars of it. To be fair, a big part of this is my ongoing quest to find a strawberry jam that I really like. Strawberries are my favorite berry. As a kid, strawberry jam was always my favorite, but now I find it too sweet for my adult tastes. After a couple years of strawberry balsamic, I've decided to branch out and try some other options. So, this year we have three new varieties to try. First up, as I mentioned previously, was this. I followed the recipe pretty exactly, estimating with the mint leaves (and erring on the high side, as I saw recommended in another review I read), since those on our plant were pretty small and using regular granulated sugar. It's easily the prettiest of the three, bright red with beautiful whole berries suspended on the top. The jury's still out on the taste. I think I went a little heavy on the mint, but we haven't opened any of the jars that were processed yet. It looks as though it will be pretty runny too, should have done a test rather than relying on the somewhat vague instructions.
Next up was this guy. I was really excited about this one, getting some additional tartness from the rhubarb and making something I didn't have to carefully watch over and stir on the stove. I doubled the recipe and cooked it on high in the crockpot, with the top slightly ajar, for about 18 hours. I really like the flavor of the leftovers that I tried, but the texture is a little gummy. For one, I forgot to mash the strawberries and for two, I think the cook time was a little too long. I'll definitely give it a try again next year, with those two changes in mind.
Last was this one (the amounts have been adapted a bit here, look in the book for her original measurements). I've loved all of the recipes that I've tried from her book, and this is no exception. It may be the sweetest of the three, but the Drambuie gives it such a complex and interesting flavor, that it may be the winner. A winter's eating (and sharing with friends and family) should help with our decision making.
At any rate, that's why we now have 20 jars of strawberry jam, as well as 9 of apricot (which is possibly the best jam that I've made yet - it's the Royal Blenheim recipe, made with whatever variety I happened upon at the fruit stand, from The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook and definitely a winner). Jam season has only barely started - we still have blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, and pears to consider. Three people eating toast for breakfast every morning (which is typical for us) only consume about one jar a week, so it looks like we'll need to be gifting some jams and preserves this year. Nothing wrong with that.
Did I mention how awesome this is? Seriously good stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment