I learned to can this year. My mom helped me get started when we made Meyer Lemon Marmalade this winter. I did not document all this jamming and canning here on the blog because the process is the same no matter what fruit you're using, but described it in more detail here.
We eat a lot of jam around here and since I learned to make it myself we have been eating even more. Jam for breakfast on toast, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, jam with cream cheese, jam cookies, almond butter and jam sandwiches, greek yogurt with jam ... fresh and fruity jam makes everything better. Even with all this sweet eating, my husband reports that we've been eating 'just the right amount of jam.'
I started with strawberries and jammed through the spring and summer with the fruits that came into season. Here's the rundown and review of my progress.
Strawberry jam: Three batches with some plain, some with vanilla bean and some with mint. Of all the jams I've made this summer, I think strawberry vanilla is my favorite.
Blueberry jam: One large batch with the zest and juice of a lime. This was the easiest fruit to work with because it's easy to rinse the berries off and they don't have to be peeled or pitted or cut up. Blueberries also have a lot of natural pectin so they're easy to make into jam.
Cherry Vanilla jam: I thought about calling this one 'Cherry Vanilla Love Jam' because pitting all those cherries was a labor of love that left my fingers and nails stained for days. It's a really pretty deep crimson red jam.
Tomato jam: I had been eagerly awaiting tomato season since I read about this recipe last winter. It's a sweet and sour jam with the subtle flavors of ginger spices in the background. If I make it again I'll look for a recipe with less sugar because this jam is a little too ketchupy for my taste. However, it is outstandingly good on a vegetarian sandwich and I'm sure it would be great on a burger as well.
Peach jam: I used the leftover vanilla pod from the cherry jam and a little bit of ginger to make the first small batch of peach jam. It's was such a huge hit that I knew I needed to make a second batch. I used grated fresh ginger this time and another vanilla pod for an awesome zing and mellowness.
Pear Vanilla jam: I used a different pectin in this batch with very little sugar and some white grape juice for sweetness. The result is slightly tangy and speckled with those lovely little vanilla beans.
I also canned a huge batch of gardiniera, or Italian vegetable pickles. I discovered vegetable pickles and thought maybe I'd start eating all my veggies pickled from now on. So I learned to make and can them.
Last but not least, Pear Chutney for my hubby. This is a sweet and sour condiment made with pears, onion, peppers, cranberries and lots of spices. My man loves it on black eyed peas. I've never seen him wolf down any vegetable so fast as those peas with a generous scoop of pear chutney over them.
After a summer of canning and experimenting, I cleaned up my kitchen, put away the big canning pot, and hung my apron until next time.
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