Today we set out to pick blueberries. It was a good thing we did it today, because we happened to hit the berry picking farm on the last day of the season. We picked until it closed. I mean we were the last folks there picking right up until they closed shop for the season. Closed. Done. Over for the summer. The picking was tricky...lots of soft berries, many sparse bushes, and three boys who only wanted to go swimming. But we managed to pull off a whooping seven quarts full despite the obstacles.
This summer I've been jamming. My whole adult life I've always wanted to make jam and have finally hurdled the big wall of insecurity that makes one afraid to try things. Who knew jam making was so easy when it looks so complex and finicky? This time I made blueberry-strawberry jam. NO idea really how to combine them into freezer jam, but my preserving guru friend, Robin, said cook the blueberries first.
Okay...so I did. For how long? No idea. How hot? No idea.
I just jumped off the ledge of not knowing what to do into unchartered territory of how to combine cooked blueberries with thawed frozen strawberries. I guessed at the amount of pectin I needed (based on evidence like the number of quarts of blueberries I used and an estimation of how many quarts of frozen strawberries I had). I also ran out of sugar so put in much less than my adapted "recipe" called for. So there you have it. Blueberry strawberry jam in all it's bold fruited glory. It looks like it's setting, so I think I was successful. That's two kinds of jam in one summer.
Next....?
