This One Fought Back

Basket after basket of peaches and this was the last day that I could really do them and still call them fresh (in fact, one of them didn't make the cut).

I started this way too late in the evening but, even though it was a long boil recipe, it should only have taken 15 minutes to gel (after the 10 minutes of cooking just the peaches and spices).

I started too late and also didn't realize until after I had started mashing all of the peaches that I didn't have anymore pectin hence the long boil recipe. Plus I'm a sucker for recipes involving cheesecloth.

Spiced Peach Jam
8 cups peeled, pitted, crushed peaches
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup water
6 cups granulated sugar

Tie 1 tsp whole cloves, 1 stick cinnamon an 1/2 tsp whole allspice into a piece of cheesecloth (YIPPEE!) and add it to the fruit, lemon juice and water in a large stainless steel pot. Cook gently for 10 minutes then add the sugar.

Bring mixture to a boil slowly, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil vigorously and did it ever! I have a tiny burn right between my eyes because this jam spit it at me. Every time I stirred it, it would rage up and start spitting again. Let it boil like that for 15 minutes or until it gels. (This is where things started to get a little hinky for me. It was nowhere near gelling after 15 minutes so I had to let it continue. I still don't know if it gelled but I had to take it off because everything was starting to caramelize. You should see how dark this jam is, with the spices and the darker undertones, I think it's going to be something special).

Ladle into hot jars leaving 1/4" headspace and heat process for 10 minutes.

I'll have to let you know about the flavour... and the gel of course.

What Have I Done...

...to the cherries? Isn't that picture positively gruesome? In reality, my hands looked much purpler. I spent the better part of my morning pitting cherries and, unless you want to see that on a regular albeit annual basis, Joe, I'm thinking that this little guy might like to join the crew here... maybe somewhere around Christmas time... am I being too subtle?

It was a good way to spend the morning and once you get used to that horrid sticky tacky feeling on your fingers and just start plowing through, it's not so bad. This is a recipe from a Bernardin leaflet that came in one of the boxes of jars. I can't wait to try it.

Sweet Cherry Preserves (says 6x250 mL but I ended up with 6 properly canned and then 500 mL just shut in a jar that I'll have to refrigerate)
4 c pitted sweet red cherries, cut in half
5 c granulated sugar
1/2 c dry red wine
3" stick cinnamon
1/4 c lemon juice
1 pkg BERNARDIN Original Fruit Pectin
1 1/3 c unsweetened pomegranate, cherry, grape or other "red" juice (their quotes, not mine)

In a large deep stainless steel saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, red wine and cinnamon stick. Let stand at room temp for 3-6 hours.

Add lemon juice and 1/2 tsp butter or margarine (to reduce foaming) to cherries and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Simultaneously, in a separate small saucepan, whisk pectin into unsweetened juice. Stirring constantly bring pectin mixture to a boil and then add to the cherry mixture. Bring the combined mixture to a boil that can't be stirred down over high heat. Boil hard for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick and skim foam.

Ladle hot preserves into hot 250 mL jars leaving 1/4" headspace and then heat process in boiling water for 10 minutes. Cool and check seals. Store in cool, dark place up to 1 year.

Can't Talk... Canning

Isn't that just gorgeous. I've changed my canning configuration a little bit since that picture, I set everything on the stand next to my stove rather than lug around a 50 pound pot but the berries... mmmm.

Next Canning Adventure - Long Boil Gingered Rhubarb Jam

Okay, I'm getting some serious recall on all of those university chemistry classes and I would love to teach a class in this someday because it's really cool and everyone should try it at least once (but I always say that.

Again, straight out of the Bernardin book but I think I might can wee jars of this too, I see some serious potential.

8 cups rhubarb cut into 1/2" pieces into a deep saucepan. Wash and grate the peel on two oranges and one lime then juice them to measure 3/4 c (add a little water to bring the level up if you have to and don't forget to bruise the fruit a little to get every last drop of the juice out (just roll it firmly against the countertop)). Add the juice and rind to the rhubarb with 2 tsp grated fresh ginger.

Bring it to a boil slowly and then jack the heat a little until it's boiling vigourously (remember, it's got a lot of sugar so it'll get there fast, don't walk away!) Boil it for 30-35 minutes with as much stirring as you can do, especially toward the end. It gets this deep, brown-y colour as the sugar caramelizes and the ginger and citrus smell SO GOOD!!!!

Then I got to do a gel test for the first time. I didn't really get the spoon version so I had chilled a couple of saucers in the freezer and did it that way. Very cool. The best part was that I got to keep licking my finger and this is some serious jam. After that it's just regular hot water canning and I won't go into that again but will instead refer you again to tigress in a jam.

I also did some plain rhubarb and strawberry rhubarb jam as well (I think I prefer the plain rhubarb one).

First Canning Adventure - Rhubarb Pie!!!

Okay, I've been away for awhile, for those not in the know, my father passed away and I hope you have no idea the details and issues that you have to wade through when that happens. Having said that, life has a way of carrying on.

They're planning on selling the farm though so this was the last chance to get in and clean out the rhubarb before people start looking at the place so that's what we did (I say we because while Erin slaved in the sun with a paring knife and actually tackled the three plants (and defeated them!) I did my part by sitting in the shade under one of the trees and cutting stalks into 1" pieces). We have approximately 75 pounds of rhubarb and I'm learning that rhubarb is one of those plants that polarizes people. I love it in almost any way, shape or form. Stewed, baked, even (when I was younger) dipped in sugar and chewed. My father believed that mixing it with strawberries was an abomination and an insult to both fruits but he was a little hinky about stuff like that (aren't we all?).

So, straight from the Bernardin book and with very few changes (because this is like applied chemistry to me and I haven't done it enough to start tinkering yet). As a note, I filled in the newbie details from tigress in a jam (I LOVE her! She has a recipe for rhubarb lavendar jam and RHUBARB ROSEMARY JAM!!!) . This is how I canned something using only one big burner on my stove.

7 cups prepared rhubarb (I think I would actually add that extra cup because the last jar had more headspace than it should have, I don't know if it will work but I'll keep it in the fridge... or I'll make a pie today)
3 large cooking apples (I used organic Braeburns)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup orange juice (I actually juiced a big orange and took it straight)
1 Tbsp grated orange peel (hint: grate the peel before you juice the orange, I know, it should have been obvious...)
4 cups washed, hulled and halved strawberries

Gently boil everything but the strawberries for 10-15 or until the rhubarb is soft and then set aside. While this is going on, I prepared the jars and water bath in my spanky new canner (spanky new jars too. I have memories of my mom and grandmother canning mustard bean pickles in everything from old Cheez Whiz jars to this one glass mug that we had that was shaped like a boot and originally came with aftershave from Avon... I kid you not. What can I say? It was a Father's Day Present from a 5 year old. Apparently, canning has come a long way since then in terms of food safety so I played it pretty straight this time and bought proper sealing jars.)

When the rhubarb was done, I put the water on to reach 82C, I even pulled down the candy thermometer. While this was on, I prepped the strawberries and added them to the rhubarb (oooohhhhhhh, pretty).

I did the main part of the bottling at the kitchen counter with the canner on the cutting board extension and the mixture on the counter (I know, I know, you have to have seen my kitchen to get that). I think next time I'll try to reverse it.

Filled the jars, placed the lids, did the fingertip tight thing and put the canner back on the burner on high to bring it to a full hard boil.

When the water was right, I moved the canner to the counter and put the rhubarb on to bring to a boil. While that was happening I went and played a computer game because it took a little while to get there. Fifteen hard boiled minutes later and I was pulling the prettiest jars out and placing them to cool. Minutes later I got to reconnect with my prairie girl heritage listening to the happy pings coming from the kitchen as the seals formed on the jars. They have to sit undisturbed for 24 hours so I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm off to... make rhubarb jam! How'd you guess?