tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post4768650617102942898..comments2024-02-05T03:52:32.887-05:00Comments on Abundance on a Dime: A Family Jamming TraditionKaren McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-24097867543336774182012-06-20T21:03:31.380-04:002012-06-20T21:03:31.380-04:00I also endured a lot of heavily processed food gro...I also endured a lot of heavily processed food growing up in the '70s (Count Chocula, anyone?). I think I might have learned to cook out of self defense :) You would do just fine making jam with all your cooking experience!! And I've always had a pretty small kitchen in all the apartments and houses I've lived in as an adult and still managed to do a bunch of canning. It doesn't take up that much space if you're relatively organized. A batch of strawberry jam doesn't really take that long to make - less than an hour even if you're being fairly slow about it. The longest part is waiting for it to come to a full rolling boil then skimming off all the foam. Let me know if you decide to give it a go :)Karen @ Abundance on a Dimehttp://abundanceonadime.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-45576484894537868692012-06-20T20:56:43.509-04:002012-06-20T20:56:43.509-04:00Linda, we have a small patch in our yard, too, but...Linda, we have a small patch in our yard, too, but did not get to enjoy any of the berries ourselves - I think the squirrels and birds ate them all. Thankfully they seem to stay out of our raspberry patch :) There's nothing like pulling out those frozen berries in the dead of winter for an instant taste of summer!! Ours usually end up in smoothies, though.Karen @ Abundance on a Dimehttp://abundanceonadime.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-8755377127594899082012-06-20T20:16:53.213-04:002012-06-20T20:16:53.213-04:00I remember making jam with my mom only once. My p...I remember making jam with my mom only once. My parents started their own business when I was little and they were so busy with that, fresh cooking/eating fell by the wayside. Plus, it was the 1970's and we thought packaged "modern" food was the best! (Ugh, when I think of all the "Hamburger Helper" that I, a vegetarian now for 7 years, had to eat...) I've never made jam as an adult. I want to try it but have had small kitchens in the last several years. There may be a laziness factor, as well. ;-) But I make my own bread and cook everything else from scratch so I know I'll give it a try eventually. We buy our local berries at the farmers' market and then also frozen ones from a local farm year round. But thanks for reminding me that it's berry picking season: every year, we say we're going to go and then we miss the strawberries because our season here (Seattle) is so short.Lilypadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-69875296150835201402012-06-20T12:54:12.013-04:002012-06-20T12:54:12.013-04:00I also made jam. And put boxes of unsweetened berr...I also made jam. And put boxes of unsweetened berries in the freezer. I will thaw them and drain well and use in the dead of winter for yummy strawberry pie...a favorite at our home. We ate lots of the luscious berries fresh...by themselves, on cereal,on shortcake and in pies. Yummy! We have our own patch but were in constant battle to keep the birds from harvesting more than us.Linda in Indiananoreply@blogger.com