Small Batch Summer Jam
Grow, u-pick, forage, or trade: use combinations of whatever seasonal fruit comes your way.
- Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water.
- Place a small saucer and two or three teaspoons in the freezer.
- Prepare your fruit: pit, peel, chop, remove stems and spiders, etc.
- Measure the prepared fruit; depending on the tartness, I use about ¾ cup of sugar per pint of fruit. Add more to taste, if you like; or replace up to ¼ of the sugar with honey for a softer jam. The French method calls for adding the sugar to the fruit and macerating for a few hours or overnight before cooking. If you have the time, this makes a lovely, syrupy jam.
- Juice a lemon, lime, or other acidic citrus; in a pinch, a couple of splashes of dry white wine or rosé, or a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar will do.
- Cook on medium in a non-reactive pot (stainless steel or enamelware) with sides at least twice as high as the level of fruit.
- As everything comes to a boil, it will create a beautiful, witchy foam. Stir and scrape down the sides every so often. If it threatens to boil over, gently blow on the bubbles and reduce the heat.
- As the foam dissipates and the juices become thicker, the back of your wooden spoon or spatula will become coated with syrup.
- Pull a frozen spoon from the freezer and scoop a sample of the jam. Put it back in the freezer on the saucer for a minute or two, then remove and check the consistency. If the jam is still too thin, continue to cook, and try again in a few minutes with another cold spoon. When it's your preferred consistency, turn off the heat and carefully ladle the jam into clean jars, wipe any drips from the rim with a cold, wet towel, and top with clean lids. Allow to cool at room temperature.
- When cool, label and refrigerate. The jam will keep for a few weeks—just like any jar from the store. (If you want to store your jam in the pantry, follow the directions for sterilizing and water bath canning.)