Rainy winter days are great for spending time in the kitchen making jam, at least they are for me here at Struan Farm. While I like to make strawberry jam for farmstay guests out of fresh berries in season, I've found that jams made from frozen blueberries, blackcurrants and/or damsons are perfectly fine. In fact, they're indistinguishable from those made from fresh fruit. And since things are pretty hectic here during the summer, using frozen fruit buys me time to rebuild our stockpile of jams for the next farmstay season.
This past week I decided to dive into the stash of blackcurrants grown here last summer. I use the Edmonds recipe, which calls for 1 kg. of fruit, 2 cups of water, and 6 cups of sugar. The fruit is boiled gently until soft in the water, after which the sugar is added, stirred until dissolved, and boiled to set point. Before I start I put jars washed in hot soapy water in the oven at a low temperature, and my jar tops/seals/rings in a pot on the stove to simmer away until required. I also set out a ladle, funnel and tongs. Have you figured out that organisation is one of the keys to good jamming?
When I make batches of jam I tend to make some for farmstay use and some for the Piopio Community Fruit & Veg Stand. The farmstay jars are sealed and stored away in the pantry, while those for the stand are topped with paper, beewax wraps, or fabric and put out in the stand for immediate consumption.
It's good to share the bounty!
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