Bumblebee
Just Arrived
Joined: 19 Jun 2008
Location: Los Angeles California
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:27 pm Post subject: Makin' some jam. |
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I'm going over to my aunts house (and her much nicer kitchen) to make some cherry jam later today. I never made it before so wish me luck. I already have my cherries. sugar, and pectin. Anybody make any jelly or jam lately? How did it turn out?
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jakrum421
On The Way Up
Joined: 27 May 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 87
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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I make lots of jams and jellies here and am planning on doing strawberry jam next week. I've made grape jelly from the concords in my back yard, strawberrry jam, currant jelly (also from back yard), caramel apple jam (fabulous on ice cream), banana nut jam, and several others. It's really easy, but hot and messy work. Make sure you have an uninterrupted span of time because an unscheduled break while cooking it can make a big mess. Also, have all of your ingredients measured out and implements ready to go before you start.
Good luck and have fun. It's so rewarding to hear that "pop" of jars sealing and of course, to sample your homemade treasures.
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Julie
"It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy." Lucille Ball
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dooley
Official Garden Turtle
Joined: 03 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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I have a ton of apricots this year so I'm making apricot jam as soon as they are ripe enough. I'm waiting not too patiently. dooley
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gardengater
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 30 May 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 820
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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Hey you all, lucky to have fruit, that sounds so good my mouth is watering. I haunt the local produce stands for the homemade jams and skip the work. Fresh fruit is expensive here. The satisfaction must be great.
Gardengater
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kuntrygal
Texas Rose
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Location: Lufkin, TX Zone 8
Posts: 1681
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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I have made grape jelly and jam, pear preserves and plum jam and jelly. They were all delicious. I agree about having all your measuring cups, spoon, bowls, jars, etc, ready. Much quicker and easier! Have fun, Bumblee and let us know how your experience was. 
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Bluebirdie
On The Way Up
Joined: 29 May 2008
Location: Northwest Louisiana
Posts: 78
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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Cherry jam sounds delicious! I hope it turns out well for you. My mom used to make all kinds of jelly and jams when I was growing up, and it was always soooo good. I always say I'm going to make some but never quite get around to it. Let us know how it turns out.
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Biita
Arctic-ally Challenged Forager
Joined: 31 Oct 2007
Location: Norway (Map)
Posts: 1791
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| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:27 am Post subject: |
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I also make alot of jams with the berries I pick during summer, but one thing i have found out that works great is to freeze your berries of all kinds first. don't wash them, just put right in the freezer. The freezing condenses the juices and when you take them out and put right in the pots to cook its like using concentrated juice instead of water. Stronger tasting jams and sweeter too!
Also if the recipe calls for 2 litres of berries, after they are picked i measure out 2 litres or more and put right into one bag. That way when i am ready to cook i just open a bag and start, no measuring needed for that. If i need 4, then 2 bags come out and so on.
Good luck and have lots of fun, its well worth all the effort, when you eat your first slice of bread with your own homemade jam!!!
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trudy
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Location: South Georgia, left at nowhere (Map)
Posts: 278
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| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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So far I've made plum. I had some small portions already in the freezer. A little bit of plum juice, crabapple an some huckleberry an mixed them all together just to use them up. Turned out really good. I already have a good supply of jellies but seems everyone always go for the plum first. Back in the winter when my FIL's kumquats was ready I made some more jelly from those an it turned out good. A little tart an sweet all at the same time. Jelly/jam making can be additive.
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tschnath
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 06 Mar 2008
Location: Southern Maine (zone 5)
Posts: 732
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| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds like fun but I don't have the time. I hit all the farmers markets around here and enjoy to fruits of someone elses labor. Good luck, do let us know how it all turns out.
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Terry 
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Bumblebee
Just Arrived
Joined: 19 Jun 2008
Location: Los Angeles California
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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The jam making went really well. Its a great project to do with your family or if you have friends over. I decided to make Strawberry jam instead of cherry because I didn't want to sit there pitting cherries for who knows how long. Then when I realized I only had half the strawberries I needed I made up for it with peaches. So I followed the traditional recipe that came in the pectin packaging and a little while later I had Strawberry peach jam. I noticed on the that there where two recipes for cooked jam with the pectin packaging. One called the traditional and the other that I remember required a cheesecloth. Does anybody prefer the cheesecloth method to the traditional?
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PepperDude
On The Way Up
Joined: 28 Jun 2008
Location: Tishomingo, MS. zone 8 (Map)
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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Not i says me  ! I love the lil bits of fruit in the traditional way. When you run it thru cheese cloth it just takes all the lil seeds and chunks of fruit out.
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Richard
Free Weeds
U Pick 'Em
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dooley
Official Garden Turtle
Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Location: Arizona, U.S.A (Map)
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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Not me either! I made apricot jam this morning and just chunked up the fruit enough to cook it. It has all sizes of chunks floating in it. About the only jelly I make is from grapes. It's a lot of work to slip the grapes out of the skin, cook the pulp, strain out the seeds and mix the juice back in with the sort of ground up skins. Much easier to just cook the whole grapes and run it through the sieve and make the jelly with pulp and juice. I guess it's not really pure jelly either. dooley
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Bumblebee
Just Arrived
Joined: 19 Jun 2008
Location: Los Angeles California
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah traditional is definitely the way to go. Has anyone here given away their homemade jelly or jam as a gift? When i was done i gave a jar of it to my aunt and uncle and they were so happy to receive it. If you have a birthday, housewarming, or maybe a dinner party its a great idea for a gift.
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jakrum421
On The Way Up
Joined: 27 May 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 87
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| Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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Yep, I always give jars away as gifts. Last year for Xmas, I gave my family baskets with 3 jars of jams, a loaf of homemade bread, some good cheese, and a bottle of wine. It went over really well. I also gave some away to the mail carrier, babysitters, and neighbors.
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Julie
"It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy." Lucille Ball
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Droopy
Slug Slaughterer
Joined: 11 Aug 2007
Location: Western Norway (Map)
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| Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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I haven't given any away, but I have received home-made delicacies, and they make the best presents! We've got too much stuff already, and good, old-fashion home made food is such luxury.
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