Jamberry

I've always wanted to make jam.  It seemed confusing to me, though -- all that fussing around with pectin, jelling, sterilizing jars, sealing.  There were a lot of ways to have it all go wrong.   Only recently did I realize that you don't have to actually process jars of jam in boiling water to seal them. 

In this part of Germany, making jam is considered to be about as complicated as making a cup of coffee.  Admitting to purchasing jam has shock value for some of the women I've met here. Like buying my coffee every morning, or something like that....

Four  Fruit  Marmalade

The current copy of my favorite magazine, Landlust, had such a perfectly easy, inviting, "you-can-do-it!" jam recipe in the Small Notes pages, that I thought:

You know what?  I will!!! 

There was a moment of familiar jam-hesitation when I was confronted with the multiple jam SUGARS on the market, two of which are shown here.  But, I stayed true to what Landlust told me to do.  1:1 was the bag for me.

Ian and I went to the Saturday Market to buy four of whatever-looked-nice. 

strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black currants

At home I pulled out my berry strainer and weighed all my ingredients faithfully out, following the casual recipe in my magazine.

Unbelievably easy.  A kilogram of fruit, weighed before cleaning, mashed up together, after cleaning, and then mixed with the bag of 1:1 sugar as well as the juice from half a lemon.

Let it sit for a few hours, then bring to a boil and cook for four minutes. 

Pour into jelly jars, seal and turn upside down.....why, it IS almost like making coffee!!! 

;-) 

In a fit of giddy "I made jam -- just like in my magazine!!"  emotion,  I went the extra mile and topped my four 12 oz. jars with paper and twine.  Just because. 

We're already down to two and a half jars, and it's barely been a week.   That's the best reward of all -- not only did I manage jam, but my children like to eat it.