Two years ago, while visiting my in-laws, I had a challenging time making black raspberry jam in their kitchen. The problem was a lack of equipment and being unfamiliar with the dynamics of the kitchen (the work triangle, I guess. I learned about that while contemplating redoing my kitchen). Anyhow, I am either brave or foolish: I decided to try again.
But I can be taught. Before I got started, I bought a canning rack, jar grabber, and a funnel! I was prepared! This morning my father-in-law, my husband and I went out to pick black raspberries. We picked about 8 pounds, which is enough for two batches of jam and a bunch for eating. One batch was the standard Certo recipe (8 jars) and the other was the same recipe but with lime juice and lime zest (9 jars). I really like how the lime one turned out. It's a nice combination of flavors.
However: the canning rack fit none of their pots. So I bent it until the wire snapped and I was able to overlap the edges and get it into the pot. There were no major issues with the other equipment but I did still get jam all over the dish towel...
...and we have no plan to get these home. I don't think I can check them and I certainly can't carry them on. I may have to ship them...
I'm sorry, this is not raspberry related at all, but I can't find your email address anywhere. In your recipes do you have one for something called grape conserve? My grandmother used to make it with concord grapes, nuts, and other fruit. Unfortunately, I was very young at the time and uninterested in canning. I'm not even sure where to start to recreate it.
ReplyDeleteHey, Tenntrace, I will look and see what I have in my books. I'm at work today so it'll be tomorrow, ok?
ReplyDeleteTry these?
ReplyDeleteGRAPE CONSERVE I
8 cups grapes
6 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shelled walnuts
Wash, drain, stem and measure the grapes, press and pulp from the skins and put the pulp through a sieve or food mill to separate pulp from seeds. Put the skins through the food chopper using a medium blade, then boil 20 minutes in just enough water to prevent sticking. Boil the pulp, without water, until soft. Press through a sieve or food mill. Mix pulp, skins, sugar, and salt. Boil rapidly until it has almost reached the jellying point. Add nuts 5 minutes before removing from the heat. Pour, boiling hot, into sterilized glasses. Seal at once. Nice for bazaars or gifts.
* from THE BIBLE COOKBOOK *
GRAPE CONSERVE *Recipe II
6 lb. grapes (stemmed)
6 lb. sugar
1 lb. raisins
3 oranges
1 cup chopped nuts
Remove hulls and cook pulp til tender. Rub through a sieve to remove seeds. Combine pulp and hulls. Add sugar, raisins, juice and grated rind of oranges. Cook until thick. Add nuts and remove from heat. Pour into hot glasses and seal with paraffin.
* from MENNONITE COOKBOOK*