Monday, August 22, 2011

I'm old as the hills, and I FINALLY learned how to make jam

I'm not exactly a domestic goddess.  I don't take to kitchen-related tasks naturally.  So it should be no surprise that I never learned how to make jam.  I think I made freezer jam once in the 70's, and I remember it being runny and not-so-great.  Partner-in-crime Chris, on the other hand, grew up in a very food/produce-centric Italian family, and definitely knows her way around a kitchen....and she decided it was high time I put a batch of home-canned jam on my pantry shelf.  Berry season in Oregon is a big deal and we are blessed with an abundance of raspberries, marionberries, blackberries, and blueberries this time of year, (sadly, our strawberry crops weren't so good since we had such a rainy & cold early summer) and lots of u-pick farms.  A few weeks ago, off we went to pick yummy raspberries:
 
my berry good friend Chris
Not sure WHAT was up with my hair that day

We went to Chris's kitchen, and she patiently showed me all the steps.
Yes, that's a snowman apron in the middle of July.  It goes perfectly with my weird hair.
And look what I ended up with!
My little baby.....I'm so proud!
A few days later, we got marionberries, and I made another batch of jam for my pantry.  Who am I?? We brought along another trusty picker on that trip, and while we were getting the marionberries,  she was piling up luscious blueberries:
That's my girl!
I've gone back two more times to load up and now we have a freezer-full of blueberries.  The idea was to have some stashed away for the winter, but we can't stop eating them.  Maybe all that jam will stay on the shelf long enough to satisfy our wintertime fruit cravings.  Maybe.
YUM!

7 comments:

  1. I love the entry! We have such fun together. I love our special times. Is summer really over? Am I really heading back to school and 34 little third graders? The memories of our berry picking days are going to have to get me through these sunny fall days.

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  2. wow, marg! such tall raspberry bushes! and blueberries in August? we get 'em in June here. your jam looks lovely, jewels on the shelf! how wonderful to have an italian for a friend!

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  3. Congratulations - don't know if I'm more impressed with the jam or the SKINNY NECK!!!!
    Fafi

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  4. Wow! I think I could live on berries and yours looks so darn good. Congratulations on learning how to to make jam. Confession...I never learned either!

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  5. This is so Weird. I made Spiced Peach Jam today, but I blogged about canning pears!! We're on the same harvest wavelength - across the country yet! Love, Linda

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  6. hmm. looking at this jam reminds me of those yummy scones you used to make when I came to visit. with the orange zest and raisins (or is that just what I put in them?) -- didi

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  7. Maggie,
    I saw your comment/photo on my friend Karen Valentine's blog & decided to come visit. You got me at the word Raspberry Jam. YUM!!! You lucky girl to live in Oregon. I LOVE Oregon. We had a friend that lived in Klamath Falls but, had a beach house in Brookings... I will never forget the magic of the beach there.

    Have you tried Ollaberries? I tried them at Linn's in Cambria CA & they come from Oregon. Half raspberry & half blackberry. GET SOME! Enjoy you goodies & thanks for sharing. Glad I stopped by.
    Charlene

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