I'm a happy woman. I have achieved something that I've never achieved before. I have made jam!
My mum has made it, my dad made it, I'm pretty sure my next door neighbour has made it but never before have I made a proper pot of jam, that tastes good and everything! And not just one pot, my friend, three, I made three pots of blackberry jam.
What makes it taste even sweeter (sorry) is that I didn't even pay for the blackberries. I collected them from the hedgerows I pass every day on my dog walk. I was determined to get in early with the blackberry picking this year after missing out on the majority of them last year.
Last year was not a good year for jam making in my household.
Last year we didn't have a dog and so didn't take as many walks or take as much notice of the blossoming of the hedgerows. When I finally cottoned on I needed to get picking the only ones left were sited behind nettle bushes or at the top of the bushes. Ouch. Then, when I came to make the jam, for some odd reason I used two methods, rather than one, to decide if the jam was ready. I used a jam thermometer and the put-it-on-a-chilled-dish-and-see-if-it-crinkles methods, why, I've no idea. The end result was I became thoroughly confused and the jam set so hard you couldn't get a knife in it.
But this year was different. I kept it simple and it worked, hurray! This is the method I used:
- 1lb washed blackberries in a pan with the juice of one lemon and 1/4pint water, simmer for ten minutes to soften and give it a bit of a mash with a wooden spoon.
- Add 1lb jam sugar (includes the pectin), give it a stir and then turn up the heat to get it boiling.
- Use a jam thermometer to see when the jam is ready, it needs to reach 105º but my thermometer helpfully has 'Jam' written next to the correct temp!
- When it hits the mark, take it off the heat and leave it alone for 15 mins.
- Skim off any bubbly scum and pour into sterilised jars. (Easiest way to sterilise jars is to put them and their lids on a baking tray in the oven at 100ºC for ten minutes.)
- Leave to set, try not to keep checking it, anxiously wondering if it's ever going to firm up. It will and it will taste delicious!
- Cheerful fabric covers and pretty ribbon ties are optional but do make the jars look pretty enough for presents.
As well as tasting delish, jam-making is an eco-friendly past-time. I reused the jars, zero food miles for the berries as they came from the fields at the end of my road, and I have no need to journey to a shop to buy jam next time I want a peanut butter and jam sandwich! Plus it is super satisfying. To make as well as eat, I mean.
Watch out hedgerows, I'm coming for more berries! I might try making apple and blackberry crumble next...
PS Don't forget to comment on the Gardening Lessons Learned post below, you could win a fab Grow Organic book!