...or, Smucker's Jam Scam.
Last May I had the pleasure of reading Robert Arbor's Joie de Vivre, a how-to guide on everyday living the French way. In it Arbor professed the pleasures of simplicity in food and day-to-day living, and because I was finishing my last semester in grad school with a five-month-old, and moving in two weeks; I was grateful for his perspective on how Americans should slow down and adopt more of the French culture.
(For more crafty tidbits, check out my blog: www.thehandmadeproject.com)
Last May I had the pleasure of reading Robert Arbor's Joie de Vivre, a how-to guide on everyday living the French way. In it Arbor professed the pleasures of simplicity in food and day-to-day living, and because I was finishing my last semester in grad school with a five-month-old, and moving in two weeks; I was grateful for his perspective on how Americans should slow down and adopt more of the French culture.
(For more crafty tidbits, check out my blog: www.thehandmadeproject.com)
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In his book, he had the simplest recipe for homemade jam: take a bowlful of mixed berries, toss them in a pot, add enough sugar to your liking, a bit of water, and boil down on a medium heat. Easy. The simplicity of a fruit and sugar combination makes for a jam that suggests (French) country living and since then, I've snubbed Welch's and any other store-bought brands.
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If you don't have sufficient cold storage space, and you're making more than a small batch (I have about four gallons of assorted berries, also in my freezer, waiting to be cooked down), then it's worth considering learning proper canning technique. Canning is also useful if you want to be able to give your preserves as gifts without having to explain that they must be refrigerated _immediately_. I'm planning to learn simply because I like the idea of being able to keep at least a few jars for longer times without tying up freezer space; there's something comforting about the idea of having a bit of a specific summer stored away on your pantry shelf.
Its sugar content is high enough to just pour it hot into cans, place the screwing lid on and your done.
It keep for years that way. No need to waist energy with a fridge or a freezer.
Even if you get a little mold (which should not happen before 1 year), just scoop it out, the rest will be fine.
The other note is, why French jam. Jam is made the same way all over the world, isn't it?
I've kept a batch of this jam in the fridge for about a week and it didn't turn. I think you'll find that you'll gobble it up before it goes bad! I wouldn't recommend trying to keep it for longer than a week.
Happy cooking,
Traci Hudson, My House Boutique
You're right!
not to mention the cost difference between fresh and frozen berries D=
If you intend to keep your jam on shelves rather than in the refrigerator you must seal it in canning jars in a boiling water bath, otherwise they will spoil very quickly. There are a couple 'ables about canning or check the website National center for home food preservation which is filled with helpful info on canning with recipes for jams sauces, pie fillings etc. including the advised boiling times for canning in jars as it varies depending on fruit, altitude etc
it made my house smell like pie, and made some damn fine jam!
thanks! =D