Wednesday, August 9, 2017

In a jam

Earlier this summer, I was planning on making a batch of strawberry jam. My batch from the other year is almost gone, and I'm not fond of store bought jam. But strawberry season is VERY short here - just a few weeks. There are no berry farms within walking (or even bus) distance, and I just wasn't able to wrangle a ride to one in time.

So I figured I was out of luck this year... but through the magic of science...
Local strawberries in August! Courtesy of the local grocery store. I paid several dollars more than I would have at the berry farm in June... but it's all in a good cause.

With the help of Chez Wandering Cat's newest snoopervisor...
I set to preparing all the berries. And once I convinced the snoopervisor to STOP LICKING them...
It didn't take long to get them all ready for the blender.
I don't like huge chunks of fruit, so I find the blender works better than a potato masher or food processor.
It didn't take long, and soon enough I was ladeling sticky sweet goodness into jars. I got a respectable eight jars of jam - more than enough to tide me over until next berry season. And I may even enter a jar in the fair!

10 comments:

Araignee said...

Mmmmmm....jam. It is almost jam season around here. I always made fig jam in late August from my fig tree. It was in Daddio's yard and it's gone now so I might have to look into buying something to make it with too. It was so nice in the dead of winter to have a jar of handmade sunshine to open.

Delighted Hands said...

There's nothing like a hoard of strawberry jam!!!!
Beautiful display.

Vera said...

Oh yum! I haven't made jam in a few years. If it's not a stinking hot August, I made need to make some bluebarb jam (blueberries and rhubarb). Yum!!

kathy b said...

Oh Enter at the Fair ! I was helping a disabled girl on a horse at therapy the other day. When she heard I knit she told me to enter something in the fair. I told her I was not good enough . She said she bet I was.....awwww

Eastside Cats said...

Ooh, betcha your jam tastes yummy! Your little helper was of little help, I'm guessing...but cute, darn cute!

Cat Lover said...

Hi Valerie, I noticed local strawberries in a few grocery stores here too. Worth the price whatever it is!
Your jam looks perfect and tastes it too I imagine.
Have a good afternoon!
Robin

The Well Fed Wheel said...

Yum!! I'm pictureing it slabbed on a hot buttered muffin.

chrisknits said...

Every time I see people posting jam I am convinced I must try it, and then I don't. I have a favorite I can get at the store, so I guess I make do. But I would probably prefer homemade, so I need to just do it. I love your snoopervisor!!

Anonymous said...

Jam in jars in a window ....it's almost like ART!

elns said...

I love the color on that jam! Gorgeous. I know the fruit cost more, but when you can sweeten to your own design ... you can't beat that, can you? Your snoopervisor has the cutest head to shove into a bowl of berries. hehe.