Well not much gardening is going on today. Instead I spent the time inside finally making my Raspberry Jam. I was going to wait until the fall raspberry harvest was done, but it looks like with the wasps I won't get very much. I'll probably have just enough to eat fresh every morning on my cereal. The summer harvest was pretty decent however and there were lots of berries in the freezer.
I unfroze them and put them through my strainer. Halfway though straining them I noticed I had the wrong screen on. Damn! Now I had to do it all over again to make sure those little seeds where all gone. I hate little seeds in my jelly. I hate them even more than having to clean two of those strainer screens. The screens get tons of seeds stuck in them. With tomatoes it isn't too bad, but with raspberries they can get pretty jammed into it. Once it is mostly clean I have to take my pokey thing (don't ask me what it is called I haven't a clue, but I think it is a pottery tool left over from when I was a kid). Each stuck seed has to be popped out individually. Arrrrggggghhhhh!
So needless to say I like to do all the raspberries for the year at once so I have less cleaning to do. I had just enough to make a one batch of raspberry jelly (6 cups) and one batch of raspberry jalapeno jam (4 cups). I'm not sure I'm going to like the raspberry jalapeno jam as much as the regular jalapeno jam, but I had to try it since it sounded good.
The raspberry jam was a very low sugar jam. It is still a bit tart. Hopefully I will like it as much as the jams that are mostly sugar. It will certainly be better for me.
Your jam will taste so nice during the cold winter days, and remind you that summer will be here again.
ReplyDelete"Ain't no rules, ain't no vow, we can do it anyhow:
ReplyDeleteI'n'I will see you through,
'Cos everyday we pay the price with a little sacrifice,
Jammin' till the jam is through.
We're jammin' -
To think that jammin' was a thing of the past;
We're jammin',
And I hope this jam is gonna last."
Or at least last until you want to eat it! I don't know about you, but I sing this every single time I make jam.
Next year. Next year I will have raspberry jam, with or without seeds. I did get two batches of strawberry jam from my patch, and might possibly get yet another one....that makes me extremely happy! This morning I had some on my toast, and found out Annie loves toast with strawberry jam. Like she needs it, with her figure!
ReplyDeleteMMMM! Your jam looks beautiful. I've never made any. Too chicken. I bet it's going to be delicious!
ReplyDeleteOh, Daphne! I agree about the screens -- SUCH a pain! But I must ask you...where do I find the raspberry jalapeno jam recipe. My family will swoon for that...
ReplyDeleteThanks!
I LOVE seeds in my jelly!
ReplyDeleteAah, raspberry seeds are the worst. I can tolerate some seeds in jam, but there's something about raspberry seeds, maybe because there are so many of them. Blackberry seeds aren't far behind. You jam looks delicious and I don't really eat much jam anymore. I do like pepper jam though, it's great with cheese.
ReplyDeletekeewee, oh I hope so.
ReplyDeleteSefaneener, lol I've tasted the raspberry jelly already. It is quite good. I was worried that it wouldn't be sweet enough. It is on the edge, but just fine.
Annie's Granny, well fall is the best time to plant those raspberries. Maybe next year you will have a nice crop.
Lzyjo, it isn't all that hard to do. I've yet to have a jam not gel for me. Then again I've always used added pectin to make sure.
June, on Allrecipes at:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Raspberry-Jalapeno-Jelly/Detail.aspx
I used red peppers instead and used Pomona's Pectin (1 1/2t). I didn't want to have to cook it long so this year I switched to Pomona's. I'll see how it works.
theconservativegardener, raspberries are the only ones that I strain the seeds out. I just can't stand raspberry seeds. They get caught in my teeth. Ick. I do wish I did like them because I like to feel the fruit in jams.
I don't eat a lot of jam either. I love jalapeno jam on turkey sandwiches though. And with cream cheese. I'll bring a batch of it to a BBQ I'm going to this weekend. They wanted appetizers and what makes better appetizers than cream cheese, jalapeno jam and fresh baked bread? YUM!
ReplyDeleteI just leave the seeds in the blackberry jam I make each year, and have always eaten it that way. As a matter of fact, when I eat watermelon - I eat seeds and all! Ha! Hmm....there may be some jam/jelly trading going on later....
ReplyDeleteOh wow that Jam looks so tasty. I always make a batch of apricot or plum jam for my rellies at christmas. Of course the produce doesn't come from my balcony garden, but the markets are handy when it come to buying in bulk (particularly if you head in right before closing time you can usually get a bargain on a box of soft fruit, though the crowds are horrible.) Enjoy the jam!!!
ReplyDeleteYour jam looks great. I don't like seeds in my jam either. I make both raspberry and strawberry jelly seedless. I made 16 cups of raspberry jelly last year so needless to say we still have alot left. You should get yourself a jelly bag. I use one, you just put the juice in, let it hang and then just rinse out the seeds. If you sow I think my Mom has a pattern for making one that I can send you.
ReplyDeleteI am seed eater! I crush my raspberry and blackerries and just start jamming! I have blackberry and raspberry jam still left from last year and that combined this this year's plum jam and butter is mroe than enough until next year. However, the blackberries are beautiful this year, so I may have to just freeze them whole so as not to waste their wonderfulness.
ReplyDeleteThe jam looks delicious!
EG, ack I always spit out those watermelon seeds.
ReplyDeleteprue, plum jam sounds so good. Hmm I've never tried going to the end of a market and trying to buy a box. Next year I really want to try strawberry rhubarb jam. I think that one would be so good.
Dan, I've never made my strawberry jam seedless. Those seeds don't bother me like the raspberry ones do. Wow, 16 cups is a lot. I wouldn't know what to do with it all. As it is I made my raspberry jelly very soft set so if I heat it up it will liquefy and I can use it as syrup.
kitsapFG, which reminds me it is the start of apple season. I really want to make some apple butter. Yum. Plum butter sounds delicious.
LOL...I make jam specifically because I love the seeds! AND its much less work, just throw them in a pot! Beautiful photo of your handy work, Kim
ReplyDelete