Day 215: Toast and Black Currant Jam
I have a confession to make, and further evidence of my dull existence. This long weekend, I was almost ecstatic at the prospect of puttering, cleaning out my basement and making jam. Throw in a book and a few magazines in the back yard, maybe some movies and surfing food blogs on my laptop on the couch, and that to me seemed the height of luxury. (That or a trip overseas, but I think curtain #1 is the only option here.) In the summer, I adore making jam. The problem is I generally go overboard, and then get tired of it somewhere around a half dozen batches, halfway through the process. People who know me know this, and pawn jars off on me all the time, hoping that a few will be returned to them full. (If you are one of those people, please identify yourself; I remember getting lots of jars over the past year, but can’t remember who they came from.)
But of all the jams in the world, I think black currant is my favourite. We went out to Kayben Farms this morning, hoping to pick strawberries and black currants; about 24 cars got up earlier and beat us there, cleaning out the strawberries, and the black currants are still about a week away from being ready. So I picked up a 1.5L tub of black currant puree – jam mix, really – all you do is add an equal amount of sugar and cook it until it turns into jam – or if you have a candy thermometer, to 210 degrees. I added about a tablespoon of lemon juice at the end. (The fruit-sugar ratio wouldn’t be as high with fresh berries, but the puree is much denser, so is equal to almost twice as much whole berries. You could definitely get away with using less sugar, but the berries are fairly tart.)
When I make jam, I generally do it without packaged pectin. (This is easier to get away with than it might sound.) Black currants are naturally high in pectin, so they are easy to turn into jam. With strawberries, keep the white parts, which is where the pectin is – don’t cut those spots out when you trim off the stems. Apples are also high in pectin – particularly the seeds – so if I’m making jelly or a jam that needs to be strained, I throw a few quartered apples from my tree into the pot; it generally helps the jam set without altering the flavour. I just read about a method of making homemade pectin out of apples that only involves boiling them, which seems like a great use of the massive quantities of crabapples and small apple tree apples I have during the summer that are too small to bother peeling and coring. More on that later; I still have plenty of batches of jam in me.
I did feed W a slightly more proper dinner of leftover pasta and meatballs, and Mike finished the last bit of Vij’s curry from the freezer. But I nibbled on toast and jam with iced coffee all afternoon – you can’t make jam without having leftovers in the bottom of the pot to taste – and in the end that was my dinner. And a mighty tasty one it was.
Um, didn’t I give you a case of jars?
I gave you a few jars; in fact, the one in the picture was one of them!
I’m in the middle of my own jam making stint, but I’m too afraid to try it without the packaged pectin… maybe this blackcurrant recipe will kick me in the butt.
Great blog!
Why do you prefer not to use packaged pectin? Does it change the taste of the jam? Or does it have any undesirable additives? I was looking into it recently and it seemed that the packaged pectin is made from natural product, often lime. Also, if using apples, would this add a bit of apple flavour?
just resending the correct email address
minecraft forge
More delight pieces like this would create the web better.
More articles like this would frame the blogosphere richer.
azithromycin buy online – floxin sale purchase flagyl online
buy rybelsus without prescription – semaglutide 14mg without prescription cyproheptadine 4 mg oral
buy domperidone generic – generic motilium 10mg order cyclobenzaprine for sale
clavulanate usa – https://atbioinfo.com/ ampicillin drug
nexium cost – https://anexamate.com/ how to get nexium without a prescription
coumadin 2mg pills – coumamide.com order cozaar 50mg
meloxicam 15mg cost – https://moboxsin.com/ meloxicam 7.5mg cheap
buy prednisone 5mg online cheap – https://apreplson.com/ deltasone for sale
cheap erectile dysfunction pills online – buy ed pills medication the best ed pill
amoxil brand – https://combamoxi.com/ purchase amoxicillin generic
diflucan 100mg cheap – purchase forcan online cheap order fluconazole online
purchase cenforce pill – this cenforce 50mg usa
tadalafil oral jelly – https://ciltadgn.com/# purchase cialis online cheap
cialis tadalafil 5mg once a day – https://strongtadafl.com/# cialis copay card
purchase zantac without prescription – https://aranitidine.com/ zantac 300mg for sale
viagra 100mg street price – https://strongvpls.com/ viagra sale online canada
This is the compassionate of literature I in fact appreciate. efectos secundarios de neurontin
The depth in this serving is exceptional. https://buyfastonl.com/gabapentin.html
This website exceedingly has all of the information and facts I needed adjacent to this case and didn’t identify who to ask. https://ursxdol.com/augmentin-amoxiclav-pill/
Good blog you procure here.. It’s obdurate to espy strong calibre writing like yours these days. I truly respect individuals like you! Take guardianship!! https://prohnrg.com/product/acyclovir-pills/
I am actually delighted to glitter at this blog posts which consists of tons of profitable facts, thanks object of providing such data. https://aranitidine.com/fr/acheter-cialis-5mg/
With thanks. Loads of expertise! https://ondactone.com/simvastatin/
This is the kind of advise I unearth helpful.
https://proisotrepl.com/product/domperidone/
Palatable blog you have here.. It’s severely to espy strong calibre writing like yours these days. I really recognize individuals like you! Take mindfulness!! http://furiouslyeclectic.com/forum/member.php?action=profile&uid=24580
buy forxiga generic – order forxiga 10 mg online cheap dapagliflozin 10mg generic
orlistat cheap – https://asacostat.com/ xenical 60mg pills
More posts like this would prosper the blogosphere more useful. http://seafishzone.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=2331485
You can keep yourself and your dearest by way of being alert when buying prescription online. Some pharmacopoeia websites manipulate legally and provide convenience, reclusion, sell for savings and safeguards as a replacement for purchasing medicines. buy in TerbinaPharmacy https://terbinafines.com/product/reglan.html reglan
The thoroughness in this section is noteworthy. fildena temps effet
With thanks. Loads of expertise!
This was a cozy and enjoyable read ? Alongside relaxing hobbies like cooking and jam-making, you might also enjoy trying casual mobile games—they fit perfectly into quiet weekends and pair well with downtime between batches in the kitchen or while relaxing with a coffee.