I must say however, it has already started well!!! (modest I know)
Last week saw me out in the strawberry patch for about two hours picking around five kilo's of the little red beauties :)
 |
| Most of my picked strawberries. |
What on earth does one do with all those strawberries?????
I tried to sit and eat as many as I could while watching Wimbledon..... that got rid of a kilo or so... and I think the accompanying Pimms may have gone to my head somewhat, as I cannot remember much of the matches :)
I gave a few away to family and friends..... another kilo or so...
Another good sized bowl of them went into some of Sarah's Eton mess..... half a kilo ish... and she made a nice strawberry sauce to go with it too... a few hundred grams more!!
Hmmmmm... still a couple of kilo's to go... only one thing for it... where is that jam pan??!!??
1kg strawberries, 500g granulated sugar, 450g jam sugar and 150ml lemon juice... up to set point in the pan..... decant into jars (with quite large brown paper hats) and job done.... 7 jars of finest strawberry jam.
Still have a kilo or so of strawberries left...... right, more jam...
600g strawberries, the last 600g rhubarb from the garden this year, 150ml lemon juice, 1.2kg jam sugar... up to set point again (which I think is 104.5 degrees)..... decant into more sterilised jars and job done... 7 jars of finest strawberry and rhubarb jam. This one is deeeelicious!!!!! :)
The last few strawberries then got eaten up out of the way..... phew.
Just think..... this weekend I probably have another 2 or 3 kilo's to pick again!!! It's a good job I have just been and purchased a bottle of champagne and a lot more sugar for my strawberry and champagne jam!! :)
Anyone for a Devon cream tea??
Strewth! What a lot of Starwberries! It seems that everyone is making Strawberry Jam :) I'm liking the sound of the Strawberry & Champagne Jam. Mo
ReplyDeleteI've been digging out Mrs. Beeton this year and made strawberry jam as well as a rhubarb and ginger jam. VERY nice... The old lady knew a thing or two...
ReplyDeleteThat's a serious strawberry harvest; I'm feeling very envious. Did you see the River Cottage episode where "Pam the Jam" made a batch using rose-scented geranium leaves to add a twist to the flavour? I've always fancied trying that. I've got the geraniums but only one measly strawberry plant; I may have to dig a strawberry patch next year.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fab harvest! I can't wait for a couple of years time when we're drowning in strawberries too! Those jams look great too, well done! :)
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing quite like home made jam. I made some cherry jam myself recently which have to try and do yourself. I was at a farmers market and at the end the cherry seller had about 3kg of bruised cherries that were not suitable for selling to eat so he sold them to me at a knock down price for jamming. You should also try Raspberry and Rhubarb, another jammy delight!
ReplyDeleteWe're doing the strawberry jam too and strawberry ice-cream., summer pudding and fruit jellies. Have you got the recipe for the strawberry and champagne jam?
ReplyDeleteMo... The strawberry and champagne jam is pretty good :)
ReplyDeleteSoren... she certainly did know a bit about it, maybe one day i may know half as much as her.
Pen... I didn't see that one, but if you want some strawberries let me know, i have runners everywhere now.
Paul & Melanie... Thanks for the kind words. Picking your own strawberries is superb!! :)
Jason... Great deal on those cherries! I didn't manage to get enough of mine this year before the birds got them :( Raspberry and rhubarb.... sounds like a plan!!
Janet... 1kg strawberries, 850g jam sugar, 100ml lemon juice, 400ml champagne. Macerate it all for a couple of hours before boiling it up to set point... voila!! :)