We Be Jammin'...Again

So, local fruit market has some beautiful Eastern Washington apricots for a great deal. Recognizing that I didn't get my 1/2 flats x2 of raspberries this year (gasp!), and that apricot jam is second only to raspberry as my favorite kind of jam, it was a no-brainer.

So lovely, and large too! The ones on the bottom looked a little green, so I figured we could start off by eating our fill of the perfectly ripe one, then start jamming when the others began ripening. Hubby, Middle Monkey, and I ate quite a few this week, and what you see in the box is after I took out a jam-batch worth.
So good! The picture gives them a green hue for some reason, but as I was chopping them up, I was reveling in their beautiful rosiness.

Look at the beauty there! It was a bit foamy, and I didn't put butter in, but knew hubby would be thrilled. The scum is his favorite.

My eldest comes in after I'd gotten them canned up (save for the remnant jar in front). "Oh, did you caramelize that Mom??" "Oh yeah, isn't that great?", is my response while trying not to laugh. The color is gorgeous, however, not the color I aim for while making apricot jam. After I had cleaned up the stovetop area and gotten utensil loaded into the dishwasher, I 'fessed up with this:

Not so lovely scorched spot in the pot. I had forgotten that apricots have a tendency to burn more easily than the normal berries I use (this has happened to me before), but was so very careful not to scrape it while stirring so there wouldn't be any nasty flecks in the jam. End result: Yummy apricot jam with a hint of smoke at the finish. I've been using the Ball brand classic pectin. I get more jam for the money than using the pre-measured pectin, and I get it at my favorite hardware store, where they also have jars, lids, etc. cheaper than anyone else around here. I have to admit though, I cheat a little. According to the recipe, you aren't supposed to do more than 5x the batch listed on the label. I consistently do 6x as the numbers come out a little more even for measuring, and I like that.
And, hubby likes this:

Happy Crafting!

So many strawberries...

The little one and I headed down yonder to Grandma & Grandpa's house yesterday. While we didn't help Grandma out much in her studio (Grandpa had already beat us to it!), we did all go together to the local berry stand to see what was available.
This is what was available:

 Mom/Grandma went for the fresh picked mere hours ago berries, where I opted for the more economical, but required immediate processing berries picked Monday morning. After enjoying lunch and visiting time, we headed home to get this going:

 Washin', squashin', and gettin' jammin'

 Last but not least, a jam spoon to be cleaned!

 Even Happy-Bunny gets in on the strawberry action:

All told, the little monkey and I ate at least 3 pints ourselves, and I've got a batch of  "fancy jam" -Strawberry Lavender cooking on the stove now. This will be the first time I've used fresh herbs from our garden in jam, as well as making jam without pectin. It is a lengthier process than I normally entail.
But, I'm very much enjoying the new canning tools, and amazing canning cookbooks I received as a Christmas gift.  They will be getting a lot of use.
Next up: "Fancy Jam 2" -Strawberries with Thai Herbs. Stay tuned.

Happy crafting!

Craft of the Week and Bonus "Craft"

So this week, I made these super-easy washer necklaces. I just made sure the diameter of the washer and the hole in the washer coordinated with my circle punch sizes. Then I punched out a bunch of retired DSP I have adhered it with Tombo multi-purpose glue, let dry, and sealed with SU! Crystal Effects. Voila!
It felt way to easy -kind of like I was cheating, so I made them double-sided and added assorted SU! Jewels.

This one is my favorite:

It's very dainty and pretty, well, for a washer anyway!



Since I seemed to have a bunch of extra days in the week (I finished these last Saturday), well technically, I finished them before the week even started, I went and bought a dozen more washers that I'll finish by Saturday.
Also, late last week, our new local produce shop got in tons of peaches from their orchard over in Eastern Wa. I couldn't resist and bought 2 boxes (40lbs), as the price was amazing, and they're non-certified organic. Well, I learned a little something: Don't try to peel/skin unripe peaches. I thought they were good as they gave a little under pressure, but they were a little green. So, couple days hanging out in the warm-ish garage, and ta-da! They peeled perfectly yesterday, and today, and more again today. I gave my first try at canning them, next will be jam, and the rest into the freezer and crisp for tonight.

Ironically peaches aren't my favorite, and after a year of 40lbs of peaches, I'll probably stick with a single 20lb box next year. But, boy oh boy, I can't wait for the blackberries to come in (our yard ones are a later variety), to make some peach/blackberry cobbler -Yummy!

Oh, and for those of you who are local, here is the link to Bill Pace Produce . He's not new, but he's got a new shop in our 'hood. I'm so excited about getting fresh local apples by the box soon. Applesaucin' here I come!!

Happy Crafting!

Bread and Jam for Nancy

I love the story "Bread and Jam for Frances" by Lillian and Russell Hoban. I love the images of that little badger girl eating her slice of white bread with a spread of purpley-pinkish-red homemade jam. I actually found a stamp some years ago (over 10 dare I say), with my favorite image.
I made my first batch of homemade jam this year today, and there is just something about homemade jam that brings out the nostalgia in me. To me berry jams just capture the pure essence of summer. You can taste the sun and the soil that nourished the berries, you can taste a warm afternoon, you can even catch a mild summer breeze. It always amazes me when I bite into a pb&j topped with homemade berry jam -the sunny places it takes me.

I love jam!!!