Summertime Preserves: The Jams Part I

A long time ago, summertime was filled with ladies at home, making jam, jelly, canning, preserving and creating the most wonderful things in their kitchens.  While we don’t do that as much anymore, and the guys have joined us in preserving fruits and vegetables, when we take the time to actually do it, we remember why we should do it more!  It was so much fun making these recipes. It’s healthier when it’s made at home, and tastes so much better because it’s so much fresher!

The applesauce took about an hour, another ten minutes to change part of it to apple butter...it just makes sense!

Cabernet Sauvignon Jelly

Ingredients

6 cups sugar

1 bottle liquid fruit pectin

(OR 1 package Surejell and ¾ cup boiling water for 2 minutes to make it a liquid)

4 cups Burgundy wine

 

Directions

Measure sugar and wine into the top of double boiler. Mix well - without splashing - and place over rapidly boiling water. Stir until all sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Stir in the fruit pectin and mix well. Remove from heat (I cooked it a little longer and it turned out fine). Skim off foam, if any. Pour quickly into sterilized glass jars. Cover at once with melted paraffin, about ⅛” thick. Cover with lids. Do not move or disturb until cool. (So we didn’t have any paraffin and since this was our first adventure - we didn’t use any.

This made 4 pint sized jars of jelly.

Applesauce

Ingredients

8 Apples (We used Granny Smith for a more tart applesauce.)

⅔ cups sugar (or to taste)

½ teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 cup cold water

Directions

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place in cold water, then cook in large pan WITH A LID. Cook on low for about 30 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally. The apples will turn to mush, but you will need to stir them down, then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 10 minutes, then pour into jar.

This makes 3-pint jars, but if you want to make apple butter, too, then reserve about a third of it.

Apple Butter

Repeat the above recipe and add:

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

⅔ cups dark brown sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla (for a total of 1 teaspoon)

Directions:

Cook for about another 10-20 minutes on low - wait until it changes color to a darker brown. It will be light brown rather quickly, but the darker color will come. After it changes colors, pour into a jar and seal.

If you are making this solely, it will make three jars.

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients

4 pounds fruit

3 pounds sugar

"Crush the fruit, put over fire and allow to boil for 20 minutes. Add part of sugar and when again boiling, add a little more sugar. Continue until all sugar is used. If sugar is heated in the oven first, it may all be added at once. Cook until when tested on a cold saucer, the mixture does not separate or grow watery. Pour in jars or glasses. Cover with melted paraffin."

(This recipe is from the 1930’s. We put the actual wording in for fun - see below for ‘modern’ directions!)

Modern Directions

Crush the fruit, heat on low and bring to a boil for 20 minutes. Add 1 pound of sugar, bring back to a boil, then repeat until all of the sugar has been added. After about 20 minutes, begin testing.  Test a spoon full on a cold saucer. With a spoon, stir and when the jam does not separate or grow watery it is ready to pour! Pour in jars or glasses. Put the lid on tightly and do not disturb until it has sealed. After you taste our summertime sweets, be sure to tell us what you think and send us some of your recipes! We'll be back with Part II of Summertime Preserves so stay on the lookout for the recipes to these delectable delights. Have fun and happy eats!