The Jam Topic

[eem]

I bought some jam at a farmer's market in Olympia, WA. I believe it was called

Scotch Tayberry. The woman who made it also called it Roseberry. It tastes like a blackberry jam with rose overtones. I'm not big on berry knowledge but she mentioned that berries and rose bushes are somehow related. It was dreamy.

Edited February 11, 2004 by eem (log)

[zennenn]

edited to remove redundant and embarrassing banana jam recipe.

Sorry all!

Edited February 11, 2004 by zennenn (log)

[Sandra Levine]

Would you mind posting the recipe, Zennenn?

I was asking for YOUR recipe, Zennenn, for the Italiam plum jam with Grand Marnier. My banana jam recipe does appear in this thread, above.

Edited February 11, 2004 by Sandra Levine (log)

[Marlene]

Sandra's Banana Jam added to the archive.

[artisanbaker]

christine ferber is very well known in france for her jams and preserves. look for books by her.

http://www.frenchpastryschool.com/guest_ferber.cfm

i love making jam in the summer!!

ps. try also making vin de noix with green walnuts. it's a wonderful aperitif.

Edited February 11, 2004 by artisanbaker (log)

[Sandra Levine]

How do you do that, Artisanbaker?

[GG Mora]

I make all kinds of jam and preserves, but the one I'm hot on right now is Mango Butter. Mangoes cooked down to a thick paste and flavored with orange juice and a little toasted cardamom. Wee-o. Really good on really buttery breadstuffs (think brioche, or fresh biscuits slathered with butter).

Also Rhubarb Preserves. Zing.

[zennenn]

Well, you know, I'm a morning person. Now I've outed myself as a ditz on eGullet as well as in daily life.

Here it is, courtesy of the Good Stuff Cookbook, Helen Witty

Purple Plum Jam with Orange Liquer (makes 6 cups)

4 pounds firm-ripe blue Italian prune plums

2 cups water

1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice

4 cups sugar

1/2 cup orange liquer ( I use Grand Marnier)

Pit the plums, bring to a boil with the water in a large saucepan. Simmer partly covered until the plums are very soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

Run the plums and remaining liquid through a food mill or food processor until smooth, or leave a bit of texture of you prefer.

Combine the plums, lemon juice and sugar in a large pan (8 quarts) (the mixture may increase in volume significantly while cooking).

Stir over medium high until the sugar dissolves, then increase heat as needed to a brisk boil, stirring often, until you reach the jelling point. (It will spatter. Watch out)

Add the orange liquer off heat, then return to heat, cooking for another minute or two.

Ladle into half-pint jars, leave 1/4 inch headspace, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

It's wonderful, luscious texture, and just a touch of mystery from the Grand Marnier. MMM.

Edited for typos.

Edited February 11, 2004 by zennenn (log)

[Mizzy]

I always add a thin slice of apple when cooking jam, just to give it some pectin.

my romanian grandmother would always cook home-made jam using the simple recipe of 1 part fruit 2 parts sugar. She would use any combination of fruits that were starting to become over-ripe, and let the jam simmer for 5 - 6 hours before jarring it.

[EllenC]

They may be a little cliche, but I like them. Raspberry Peach jam and Apricot pineapple jam. Homemade wheat bread YUMMM!

[zennenn]

They may be a little cliche, but I like them. Raspberry Peach jam and Apricot pineapple jam. Homemade wheat bread YUMMM!

They're not cliche, they're classics! Wonderful flavor combinations should never go out of style.

Do you use fresh or dried apricots? I never seem to find any fresh apricots with flavor in MN.

[EllenC]

I always use fresh apricots because we have orchards all over the place here and fruit is so abundant and inexpensive in late summer/early fall. The biggest problem is finding enough time to can/freeze/etc. I also dry a lot of apricots - I wonder if I could hide enough of them from the kids to try them for jam? Good question.... All the dried ones are gone from last year's harvest, but maybe next year when I run out of jam. I can't wait until the apricot tree in the back yard grows a little so I can use those.

[Sandra Levine]

That sounds delicious, Zennenn. The trick will be to remember the recipe during plum season.

[eatrustic]

Right now my favourites are the marmalades (homemade). Meyer lemon marm. for every day, and for brunch: classic Seville Orange with a few drops of my favourite scotch - Bowmore 17 year old -that was added before I processed the jars.

[zennenn]

That sounds delicious, Zennenn. The trick will be to remember the recipe during plum season.

Well, I've got a confession to make. I stretched it once by using regular plums and a 1/4 of chopped prunes. Italian plums have a very short season in the grocery stores in my area!