Last week we showed you the gooseberries we picked up while on vacation in Canada. Gooseberries are not usually found in our neck of the woods and so we were excited to make jam with the half pint or so we had left — call it a kitchen souvenir. Here's a peek at this ultra-easy jam, which reminded us how quick and easy a small batch of jam can be.
Gooseberries are naturally tangy, with tiny seeds inside berries with rather thick skins. They also have little "tops and tails" on either end, remnants of stem and flower. These have to be yanked off before cooking or eating. This isn't too onerous a task, though; we plowed through this small batch in just a few minutes.
To make jam with the gooseberries, we weighed them then measured out about 3/4 of their weight in white sugar. We covered the gooseberries with about 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan and stirred and simmered them for about 15 minutes or until they were softened and beginning to break down. Then we added the sugar and boiled hard for about 5 minutes — the jam gelled very quickly, since gooseberries are high in pectin. This is a stiff jam!
It's also delicious; we've enjoying it on peanut butter toast and in yogurt.
Are you planning on making any jam this summer?
Related: Seasonal (and Regional) Spotlight: Gooseberries
(Images: Faith Durand)
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I have been making Rhubarb-Ginger Preserves all spring.
I think this article is a sign from the gods. I share a fence with a moronic neighbor who has been renovating the property to turn into small apartments. He has been killing plants that are shared along the fence left, right, and center all summer. I noticed this year though that there are two gooseberry bushes shared along the property and I have been thinking of jacking them and transplanting them just slightly over onto my side of the property (he's not planning on keeping anything growing on his side). Now that I saw this recipe I have all the inspiration I need to commit to plant theft.
We've done up 67 pints of jams, jellies and butters the past few weeks, most by my kids for county fair projects.
I've made a lot of jam but yesterday encountered something new. My daughter was making apricot-no pectin jam and as it was cooking down I noticed some fibery looking stuff in the jam. I tasted it and it was fine so she kept on going. By the time it was nearing the point of gelling the fibers turned dry and woody, making the jam inedible in that state. I checked the apricots and there were fibers throughout the pulp--they weren't even noticable when eaten raw.
We stopped cooking and strained it. Probably will use it for yogurt, coffee cake, etc.
Drunken fig jam, recipe on Epi and it was wonderful