Jammin'

It is getting to be that time of the year - actually, what am I saying, it is smack in the middle of that time of the year (how did that happen so fast?) after the growing and harvesting is all done with and the winter holidays are rapidly approaching. I spent the first three or so hours of today making jam with my aunt. I adore making jam with my aunt. We made four batches - strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry rhubarb. My aunt's jam is like none other, even though it has practically the same ingredients as lots of jam (sugar, fruit, pectin, and a teeny bit of butter). I don't know what makes it so superior to everything else. Maybe love, or the fact that she grows ALL the fruit herself. :) Anyway, I thought I'd share some photos of the process.

She reuses glass jars and lids to put the jam in. Wooo, green!

Yes, that is actually more sugar than fruit. I like to just focus on how great it tastes when it's done and just accept the fact that it's a LOT of sugar.

These are the two giant pots involved, with one more small pan on a back burner for heating the jar lids. The silver one on the left is what the jam is made in, and the black one on the right is full of boiling water. The jars go in this one to heat up while the jam is made, and after they are full of delicious jam and lidded they are re-immersed for about ten minutes and then finally taken out - after this final step, the jam is done and can be set aside to cool (which takes a looong time).


Et voila. Jam. :)