Jammin'

[Watered Garden]

When we were living on the Left Coast I became interested in making jams and jellies. Or, more specifically, my husband became interested in my making jams and jellies. Another individual in the state introduced me to a product called Pomona's Universal Pectin. This is sometimes sold in health food stores and they have a website through which you can order it.

This pectin does not jel using sugar as the pectin, but another substance. Therefore, instead of the usual 4 cups of sugar to 1 cup of fruit, you use 4 cups of fruit to whatever amount of sugar you like. There are two packets in each box. One is calium powder that you mix with cold water. This goes in first (the directions are very specific as to how much you use). Then you measure your desired amount of sugar and mix the pectin in with it. With the fruit, juice, or whatever boiling, you add the sugar/pectin. After placing in jars it has to be hot bathed for 5 minutes.

We have been making peach spread this week, and will make strawberry and black raspberry jam. It is absolutely delicious and even I, a diabetic, can enjoy a little of it. I will use probably 1/2 cup sugar for each 4 cups of peaches.

Anyone else jammin' this summer?

WG

[act2]

Sounds good, WG. I don't 'jam' but my mom does and I love her jams and jellies.

The pectin that you mentioned sounds great. My sis goes to health food stores about twice a month. I may have her check it out.

Have fun!!!!!!!

[Ca_dreaming]

I love to make Jams and Jellies,( I also can tomatoes and salsa and pickles and green beans (freezing is nice for those also)

Jalapeno pepper jelly, raspberry, blueberry and peach jams.

Wild grape jelly is the fun one, we take a drive in the country with our scissors and baskets and look for the vines along the roadside and collect starting in September. We also collect asparagus in the spring this way.

Haven't heard of the product you use but look forward to finding it and cutting down on the sugars used. Thanks!

[Watered Garden]

I started using Pomona's when I was diagnosed diabetic. I don't like the taste of artifical sweeteners in jams and jellies, but of course couldn't use much sugar. This stuff is great.

I do tomatoes and pickles also. When we lived in NC our next door neighbor let us garden on some land he had outisde of town and one year we canned over 100 tomato products, whole tomatoes, sauce, and juice, from 24 tomato plants! It was hard work but gratifying. We would pick at 6:00 AM, come home and process. The payoff was a kitchen table with 30 or 40 cans sitting there, fresh out of the canner, emitting one little "ping" and then another as the lids sealed down.

WG

[krys]

Spiced Blueberry Jam

1 quart blueberries

4 cups sugar

cinnamon 1/2 - 1 tsp

ground cloves (pinch)

Bring to boil; then add 1 pkg liquid Certo and boil hard 1 minute. Skim,

pour into jars, seal (I used a canner)

Edited September 1, 2007 by krysilis