Oh yes, and this is also why:
And that is just Wednesday's batch of jam! My freezer is now full of about a year's worth of lovely strawberry jam. Have you ever tried making strawberry freezer jam? It's easy and it is so delicious. However, the fruit-to-sugar ratio is quite shocking:
Yes, that's 2 cups of mashed strawberries and 4 cups of sugar. Oh, but my goodness is it so yummy. I love a spoon or two of this jam over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (For my strawberry jam recipe, I just follow the one that comes in the package of Sure-Jell pectin. Click here for recipe)
My reason for this post is to share with you one of my favorite tools. Last year when I was making strawberry jam, I discovered that a grapefruit spoon is perfect for removing the stems from the berries. I used to use a small paring knife, but now this is my weapon of choice. It's simple, dishwasher safe, already in my utensil drawer, and it won't give me a nasty cut if I'm not paying close attention to what I'm doing.
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8 comments:
Another good strawberry tool I found was a silver/or metal baby spoon. It just takes out enough of the stem part and doesn't crush the berry in the process. But, that was befoe I had a grapefruit spoon too. Your jam looks superbly
delectable.
What cute containers, where did you get them?
I love that picture of Finn! And way to go on the jam...you are much more adventurous than me!
I found the jam containers at Walmart and also my local grocery store. I went to Walmart looking for the traditional square ones, but these new cute ones were all they had stocked. In both stores the containers are located near the other canning / preserving supplies (pectin, jars, lids, etc)
I just discovered the love of freezer jam this year- I'm getting nervous on our consumption of it...I want to make it last though the winter!!!!!
I too just made freezer jam. When I picked up the pectin box I was also shocked at the sugar ration and then I found the BALL FRUIT JELL FREEZER JAM packet. It calls for 4 cups of fruit and 1.5 cups of sugar...not so bad! You can see it here: http://www.kitchenkrafts.com/product.asp?pn=IN5130&bhcd2=1217957341
I bought it at my grocery store next to all the cool new Ball jars and containers.
Thanks for the tip, Dayna! If I get up the energy to make any more freezer jam this year, I'll use the Ball brand.
I second the BALL FRUIT JELL FREEZER JAM pectin comment. Way less sugar and the finished product is sooo tasty.
Thanks for the grapefruit spoon tip! We got a little tool for our wedding that was a little jagged-edged scoop on a handle that was _perfect_ for taking out strawberry stems, and I've been lost without it since it disappeared. But I have a grapefruit spoon, and I'm excited to see if it works as well!
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