Wednesday, July 20, 2011

We're "Jammin'!"

Last year, the children received a most generous gift from their grandparents - two apple tree saplings and two blackcurrant plants.  This year, we have reaped the rewards of tending to the newest additions of the landscape and have made our own blackcurrant jam!

Ripe blackcurrants in our front yard begging to be picked...
 

The most time consuming part was removing the blossom end from each blackcurrant.  We ended up with 2 1/2 C. of currants which we boiled with about 1 C. of water. Next, we added 1 C. of sugar and roughly 1 1/2 T. of lemon juice and boiled for ten minutes.

Look at the exquisite color!
After the mixture boiled , I conducted the "plate test."  Before we started boiling the water, I placed a small plate in the freezer so that by the time it was needed, it was already chilled.  After the mixture boiled for ten minutes, I put a small amount on the plate and put it back in the freezer.  If the jam gels after one minute in the freezer, the jam is done - ours was ready!

 Homemade blackcurrant jam.
It looked so savory that I could not resist making some fresh bread - fresh from the bread machine, that is...


Scrumptious!

...and some for the neighbors too!

5 comments:

  1. What a delicious activity to offer to your family. Love this kind of family working together time. The jars look so inviting ;-) We must buy some fruit and get to do some jam - just for the pleasure of looking at and tasting the effect of our work in winter or any unspecified time ;-)
    Thank you for sharing the instructions ;-)
    Hugs
    Ewa

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  2. Thank you, Ewa! We have been enjoying this delicacy ever since we made it! Hopefully next season, we will harvest more and be able to save for winter... Take care, Sasha

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  3. Looks wonderful!! I love your current plants, that would be a wonderful plant to grow. Thanks for sharing your recipe. ~April

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  4. April, They are delightful to grow - we just have to make sure the birds don't get to them before we do! Sasha

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