If you're anything like me, you love to make jam; but when it comes time to dump a bucket-load of sugar all over your beautiful, already sweet berries, you feel guilty. Like you just drew a mustache on the Mona Lisa. It's just wrong. So this year I searched around and found, what I think is the perfect answer to the problem. Pomona Pectin. Now, I'll admit, I haven't actually tried the stuff yet; but I rushed out and bought the last remaining box at our local health food co-op. I've checked their site and their reviews out pretty carefully. This stuff looks like the real deal! Not like that 'reduced' sugar pectin where you only have to dump
half a bucket into the pot. And oh my goodness, their site has the tastiest recipes for jams. I will definitely be making Blueberry-Lavender jam this year! Here's the link;
http://www.pomonapectin.com/. And here's the link to the aforementioned jam recipe
http://www.pomonapectin.com/recipes/blueberry-lavender-jam/
Speaking of berries...last Saturday my friend Demetree and I headed out to Deborah Lubbe's organic farm to pick some strawberries. Her berries are the sweetest thing this side of heaven.
I learned something about strawberries from Deborah. She has 3 varieties of berries on her property. The orangey-red variety was by far the sweetest. The red-red ones were tangier. And the deep ruby-red ones were juiciest, but less sweet. So you can't judge your berries by color. Deborah's Nooksack Valley farm is nestled in the foothills. It's a down-home, earthy place with roosters wandering about, a Shetland pony pastured nearby, and field-flowers growing amid the grasses. A place to breathe.
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| Demetree |
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| You're never too young to go berry pickin! |
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| Taste testers |
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| Talkin' organic, berries, and farmin' |
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| Deborah Lubbe is as organic as her berries |
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7 comments:
Beautiful berries! Sounds like a nice day too...sugar free is certainly the better way. Lets us know how the end product is.
A beautiful summery post. I love strawberry jam and this pectin sounds very interesting. I will take a look at the link. Thanks
The blueberry-lavender jam sounds wonderful too.
Gorgeous post. I am not a fan of jam, but berries are a different matter. And fresh picked organic berries are bliss.
Bookie, I certainly will. Can't wait to try it!
Farmlady, I hope you did look at the site. It's really nice!
Elephant's child, I agree, fresh organic berries are just the best. Wondering what kinds of berries you have in your neck of the woods?
Let me know how your jam turns out. I have lessened the sugar in my jams, but I know that the sugar also acts as a preservative and jelling agent. I wonder what the ingredients are in the pectin and how long you cook the jam? Beautiful pictures.
I will, Annelise. I think the jelling agent is powdered calcium. It'll be fantastic if it works!
Mmmmm, I love strawberries!
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