tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post2867362825459887208..comments2024-03-17T08:58:39.402-07:00Comments on creative savv: Making jams last weekLilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-82175978592407716742016-07-01T14:10:15.849-07:002016-07-01T14:10:15.849-07:00Alice if the recipe calls for 4 cups of fruit you ...Alice if the recipe calls for 4 cups of fruit you would use 2 of blueberries and two of rhubarb. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11490626433944617943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-6729015508161223292016-06-28T10:56:48.276-07:002016-06-28T10:56:48.276-07:00We are in the midst of moving my mom right now, an...We are in the midst of moving my mom right now, and she's the one who makes the jam--I'll try to remember to ask her in a couple of weeks when things settle down.Krisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-33115383624706922832016-06-28T06:33:05.450-07:002016-06-28T06:33:05.450-07:00It just occurred to me... I ALWAYS can for our orc...It just occurred to me... I ALWAYS can for our orchard harvest (and when I get citrus from friends/family in warmer areas), because I AM planning that to have to last all year/mostly use later because we have enough for right then, too. <br /><br />Since we don't have a garden now, when we get medium-sized amount of soft fruits, for example, it's a "windfall", not a harvest. Since we don't have the constant garden resources coming in at the same time (so no "access to fresh fruit" though it's fruit season, if you will), we try to spread out our use/enjoyment of those fruits. But it's part of our "current" resources, not absolutely "surplus" to save for a leaner time/winter. <br /><br />I think that's the difference -- one more of resources than intention, if you will. Hopefully soon we'll have a garden, too!<br /><br />SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-43381508131037916892016-06-28T06:30:40.195-07:002016-06-28T06:30:40.195-07:00I have never heard of blueberry rhubarb jam and I ...I have never heard of blueberry rhubarb jam and I might want to try it. How much of each fruit? Is there a recipe somewhere (like on the pectin box)? It doesn't sound like the two fruits would go together but apparently they do!<br /><br />AliceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-6589728511401477632016-06-27T14:58:21.450-07:002016-06-27T14:58:21.450-07:00Your rhubarb butter sounds divine. I was helping ...Your rhubarb butter sounds divine. I was helping my mom pack today and I filled up a cooler of freezer items to bring to her apartment--I was pretty excited about her cherry-rhubarb jam! She could sell it, it's so good (so is her blueberry-rhubarb jam). Oh, I just read Dee's comment--apparently blueberry-rhubarb isn't original to my mom! :) <br /><br />I laughed when I read about you having enough wild strawberries to make jam with. The kids picked some at mom's yesterday and today, but they are miniscule and only enough for a handful of eating! I suspect there are more out there, but they are covered in poison ivy plants, so we will forego that experience. Krisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-65051548345748778832016-06-27T13:31:24.082-07:002016-06-27T13:31:24.082-07:00Yummy,
I wish we had enough berries to make jam. ...Yummy, <br />I wish we had enough berries to make jam. :) They get gobbled up. I have a thingy for removing seeds from berries.<br />Not sure what to call it. It has lots of small holes.It has a basket about a cup and you put in berries and swish(after fruit is cooked) down with the top. Belonged to my Mom. like the seeds in the berry jam. You have been busy.<br />Have a great day.<br />Patti Precious People Preschoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02284398084100195331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-86774805561125781082016-06-27T13:17:45.571-07:002016-06-27T13:17:45.571-07:00This was not a good strawberry year for anyone aro...This was not a good strawberry year for anyone around here including Uncle Billy. :(Live and Learnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13493777474885053903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-60032244445294769172016-06-27T12:30:41.179-07:002016-06-27T12:30:41.179-07:00Hi ,
My sister in law makes blueberry rhubarb jam...Hi ,<br /> My sister in law makes blueberry rhubarb jam. Yummy and all the grandkids mine included love it. She gave me two jars to take to my 80 year old father. He was tickled . I could make the same recipe but would not taste like hers on the other hand she loves my apple jelly with a cinnamon stick in it . <br />Adding vanilla sounds really good will have to give it a try.<br />DeeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11490626433944617943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-28433185184835758962016-06-27T10:12:17.684-07:002016-06-27T10:12:17.684-07:00Thanks, Lili. I hope you have a great day too. :)...Thanks, Lili. I hope you have a great day too. :)Belindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17486895127003368291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-14401437637960905592016-06-27T09:58:19.025-07:002016-06-27T09:58:19.025-07:00I guess I just don't think of it as being trou...I guess I just don't think of it as being troublesome. We are at sea level, here, so I guess our water comes to a boil a lot faster.<br /><br />Hmm, I guess we have a different approach to what is something to keep for a long time, vs what will be eaten right away. For most of my jam and pickles, I intend for us to use them in winter and early spring, when we don't have access to the fresh fruit. So I am storing them for a long period of time. And some of them I only make every other year, to use over the course of 2 years. Some of that is "plan" and some of that is just how it works out. ie my family won't think to eat strawberry jam right now, as we have fresh strawberries in the garden. But in winter, when fresh strawberries are a distant memory, the jam is cherished.<br /><br />So this is what works for us.Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-25639109770046172082016-06-27T09:13:38.850-07:002016-06-27T09:13:38.850-07:00My canning stuff is pretty handy, too; and I'v...My canning stuff is pretty handy, too; and I've definitely "canned on the fly" lots of times. My non-canning friends have commented with amazement. <br /><br />But with the time it takes to boil water that much water at my elevation, the extra few tools, the counter space to let them sit when they're done, etc., I sometimes just freeze if I only have 3 or 4 half-pints to save from something, and enough freezer space to stow them. :) <br /><br />Besides, if you're not doing a full canner of something, seems likely you won't have so much that you'll be saving it for a year. You're probably just keeping it fresh for a short-term "later" use, don't you think? <br /><br />Take care-- SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-86398485680235621262016-06-27T08:19:09.312-07:002016-06-27T08:19:09.312-07:00Hi Alice,
that does sound like you would have fres...Hi Alice,<br />that does sound like you would have fresher jam, year round. I've done that with surplus frozen blackberries, before. If we get towards the end of the year, and still have lots of blackberries just weeks from the beginning of the new harvest, then I make extra jam.<br /><br />I don't mind the seeds in jam, but I understand how that must be for you. Making seedless raspberry jam does sound like a lot of extra work, putting all of the cooked fruit through a sieve. <br /><br />Definitely, those first strawberries are the largest and prettiest, best for fresh-eating. <br /><br />Have a great day, Alice!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-52403784942267368642016-06-27T08:08:29.413-07:002016-06-27T08:08:29.413-07:00Hi Sara,
I do freeze fruit sauces, like applesauce...Hi Sara,<br />I do freeze fruit sauces, like applesauce and rhubarb sauce, instead of canning. Maybe just habit or what I'm accustomed to. Or maybe, with fruit sauce having less sugar than jam, I feel it could spoil more easily, so better to freeze it.<br /><br />For me, it's not much extra work to get out my large pot and other equipment for sterilizing, and water-bath for jams and jellies. I sterilize jars for a couple of other tasks in the kitchen on a weekly basis, so I keep all of that stuff very handy in the pantry. <br /><br />I remember when my mom would make jam, she used wax to seal the top of the jars. Now that sounds like extra work to me, as she had to have an extra pot for melting the wax, and then would have to clean out that pot afterward. I don't think she had a dedicated pot for the wax. Hmmm.<br /><br />Have a great day, Sara!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-43331226239982421352016-06-27T07:54:30.065-07:002016-06-27T07:54:30.065-07:00Yummy to the jam! We do love our homemade jam at o...Yummy to the jam! We do love our homemade jam at our house. I freeze plenty of rhubarb and strawberries from Dad's garden to make jam in the winter. That way I get fresh jam all year round. Dad and Mom have this rule that the first strawberries are the best for fresh eating but as the season winds down the strawberries are of lesser size and even uglier than the first ones. Those are the only ones that should be used for jam (in their opinion). I use that rule also. Those get frozen from jams later. <br /><br />We buy peaches when they go on sale and I freeze those also for peach jam in the winter. I do those very quickly since they tend to turn brown when I thaw them.<br /><br />I always use lower sugar sure gel pectin since that is what mom used. I use the "cooked jam" recipe and instead of canning the jam, I freeze it. It comes out beautifully and never becomes runny when it's thawed. I love a few raspberries but I don't like all the seeds in my jam so sadly I buy seedless raspberry jam. I tried it once to remove the seeds and it is som much work that I don't bother with that anymore. That is really the only jams we eat at home. I'm now waiting for the sure gel to go on the end-of-season sale and then I'll stock up on a few boxes.<br /><br />AliceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-6218883408702164112016-06-27T07:45:03.942-07:002016-06-27T07:45:03.942-07:00Hi Belinda,
Oh, I'm so envious! Peaches don...Hi Belinda,<br />Oh, I'm so envious! Peaches don't grow well in my area, so they are a treat! Your peach jam sounds delicious!<br /><br />Have a great day, Belinda!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-46836174270942738282016-06-27T07:30:45.305-07:002016-06-27T07:30:45.305-07:00Yummm, Lili! I'm about to slobber on my comput...Yummm, Lili! I'm about to slobber on my computer keyboard! LOL <br /><br />Good trick with the sugar. We do that with cranberries for some recipes, too. <br /><br />Freezer jam is instant gratification, and does have a fresher taste. We've done both. You can definitely do freezer jam without pectin, but it takes away the "instant" part, though it does still limit the gear you need, compared to hot water bath canning. ;) <br /><br />We sometimes make fruit sauces, which are just like your jam, Lili, but cooked slightly shorter; and we often freeze portions of those (especially since there often isn't enough to merit hauling out the canning stuff for just a few half-pints.)<br /><br />Have a great week, and I know you'll enjoy your new stash of "special" jam! :) SaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-29497613172940816252016-06-27T06:51:34.525-07:002016-06-27T06:51:34.525-07:00There is something very satisfying about making yo...There is something very satisfying about making your own jam. We have an abundance of peaches here during the summer time, so I've made peach jam several summers in a row. This year we seem to be eating them before I can make it though. lolBelindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17486895127003368291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-82284714609724629422016-06-27T06:37:59.700-07:002016-06-27T06:37:59.700-07:00Hi live and learn,
I made freezer strawberry jam, ...Hi live and learn,<br />I made freezer strawberry jam, many years ago. It was delicious and fresh-tasting. Like you said, the difficulty is in storing it, when freezer space at a premium. <br /><br />The other thing I recall is the freezer recipe I used, required pectin. I never tried it without the pectin, so I don't know how it would work without it, but when I make canned jam, I don't add pectin. I follow older recipes which call for cooking the fruit until it's thick. And we're okay with jam being a bit thinner than commercial. I tend to reserve the pectin for jelly. <br /><br />Do you get enough strawberries from Uncle Billy's garden for making jam? I often have this feeling with garden strawberries, that I shouldn't be wasting them on jam, but enjoying them fresh. So the years that we actually have strawberry jam are few.<br /><br />Have a great day, live and learn!Lilihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292553654219380455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055690688282230469.post-78993694982694476362016-06-27T05:25:24.117-07:002016-06-27T05:25:24.117-07:00I have never let my butter fruit sit in sugar for ...I have never let my butter fruit sit in sugar for a while before cooking. I'm gonna have to remember that trick. Do you ever make freezer jams? The fruits always taste so fresh that way, but it's harder to store.<br />Live and Learnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13493777474885053903noreply@blogger.com