More Jam from the Plot

It’s funny how the smallest achievement can give you a huge sense of satisfaction and bring a smile to your face.  Making four jars of strawberry jams was one of those achievements.

This is the second lot of jam this year from the plot – the first lot being rhubarb and ginger.  I like the idea of making jam since it will give me a reminder of summer in the winter and it just tastes so much nicer when you have made it yourself.  I think, and I maybe prejudiced here, but I think your own jam even tastes better than someone else home-made jam.  I last made strawberry jam about 20 years ago when the boys were very little and I was trying to be a good housewife – then my marriage ended, obviously the jam was not enough, and my finances were non-existence so no more jam making.

I still have the copper preserving pan, funnel and thermometer from back then so I really have no excuse apart from a lack of confidence.  I did try making jam last autumn but it was damson and the recipe was rubbish and I had glue.  The rhubarb and ginger jam though is quite simply divine and has boosted my confidence.

As we are going away later this week I wanted to pick as many strawberries as possible from the plot.  The crop has been ridiculously bountiful, I have never seen so many.  However sadly only a third are harvestable and the rest had to be thrown.  I don’t know if its rain damage or some disease but many of the fruit are mouldy.  I had put a load of straw under the plants a while ago to protect the fruit but with all the rain we have had I suspect it may have done more harm than good.  So today I set too and cleared all the rotten fruit, disposing of them off site in case it is a disease, but I still managed to pick just over a kilo.  We have had numerous bowls of strawberries so I thought I would give the boys the evening off strawberry eating duty and make jam instead.

After my doldrums about the damson jam it was recommended that I buy the River Cottage Preserves Book  you can’t beat Pam Corbin for preserves.  I have to say the  recipe was incredibly simple and quick – much simpler than I remember.   I get very stressed about the setting point so ended up checking three different ways: temperature, saucer and wooden spoon tests.  Then I had four  jars of sparkling jam.  From the leftovers I scooped out of the pan, oh and off the spoons it is very good jam but the proof will be when I re-open the first jar to see how solid it is. But in the meantime I shall admire the jars of gooey ruby treasure on my increasingly full preserves shelf.

Note: I haven’t reproduced the recipe here as I can’t find it on the internet and therefore I don’t want to infringe any copyrights so if you would like the recipe I would recommend buying the book.