Now that it's very much the long season known as "snow" – okay, fine, WINTER – up here in the north and I take my afternoon walk earlier and earlier in the fading sunlight, there’s suddenly more time to sit down and reflect on this past summer's projects. It’s currently mid-afternoon on December 13th, and I just caught myself wondering if that was the sun setting, or rising.
Looking back to those very few warmer months, it was admittedly (sadly!) a low jam-and-jelly-making season, especially when compared to my previous two summers.
There were three rounds of mere four ounce jars vs. at least eight renditions in jars twice as big (& larger!) the year before. Saskatoons! Watermelon berries! Cloudberries! Lowbush + highbush crans! Even more bluebs!
Alas.
There are a few reasons for this. Overall, summer 2021 was a noticeably low berry season in our area, which also means being even more bear-aware than usual, as there’s even less to share. Oh, so, respectfully.
Ditto for the mushrooms – they just seemed less *everywhere* in comparison to my two prior summers.
What’s up with that? It could be “simply” a cycle of life in nature.
It may have been the late start of rainy season.
My naturalist neighbor looks to the dreaded northward movement of the spruce bark beetles.
Climate acceleration. Permafrost shrinkage. The planet crying out.
Hmm, hmmm.
And besides contemplating the ancient life cycles of nature and what’s happening to the earth (as if I could stop thinking about it), our retro stovetop is small and it’s a much more awkward practice at our new place. It’s a hassle to get my massive water-bath canning pot on there in the first place.
Fortunately, for the sake of sourdough, we went into the summer with a surplus from the one before, both in our downstairs storage and the back of the freezer. Praise be to the abundance and fortitude of lowbush cranberries.
I told myself for weeks and weeks that became months that I had one more batch of jam up my sleeves before the holiday season, but it was just not meant to be. This time, I can easily point my frustration to the rising postal costs, saving for winter “vacation” murmurs, those low berry hauls, and the sheer commercial annoyance at what I deem to be the ludicrous prices of mason jars every time we go to town. I grabbed the 4oz jars below on sale during the summer, and it’s a wonder that I even managed that!
Anywhoo. I do feel content about the 2021 jellies and jams I did pull off, truly.
Those precious wonders.
These three legitimately ‘canned’ batches were thanks to our two U-Pick trips to Big M Farm in Nenana for golden raspberries and red currants (among other things, like scouring their pepper tent for jalapeños and the hungarian wax chiles), a repeat visit to a now-favorite and sorta-secret black currant patch in our own neck of the woods, and the beauty of post-first-frost rosehips.
A fourth smaller and refrigerated round was all about the devotion to Spinach Creek carrots and a supply of cold-hardy citrus.
For the record - and relief - we picked a pleasant enough amount of blueberries, red bear berries (mild but again, pleasant enough and very much not having a low year in our area) and lowbush cranberries for the pancakes & scones & muffins & smoothies of winter to come, but they went right into the freezer…by that, I mean, thoroughly washed, studiously de-stemmed, and into freezer bags.
Living remotely and shopping sporadically (which is mostly amazing), I've also gotta give it up for past jess, and the carry-over of last summer's jam-making supplies: strainers, cheesecloth, sweeteners, a few new bonus jars + lids, and assortment of pectins. Phew to all of that.
Speaking of sweeteners and thickeners (& abhorrent cavities), I’ll pledge my jam-making allegiance these days to low sugar pectin and the intrigue of Pomona’s universal pectin…when I get the second of those to really do its thing. The following jams and jellies that I am finally getting to are made exclusively with low sugar pectin, or none at all.
some photos + notes on this past summer’s jam and jelly endeavors:
batch #1: golden raspberry, rhubarb + vanilla bean
batch #2: black currant jelly (low sugar w/ a blueberry juice base)
batch #3: rosehip-mixed summer berry jelly
bonus batch #4: persian carrot jam (the refrigerated)
The black currant jelly was a 3-step process, halved + adapted from this recipe on Practical Self Reliance (a rare exception from sticking to the NIFA/USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and Ball canning realm)!
First, make the juice.
3 cups of black currants, covered with 1 ½ cups of filtered water 1 cinnamon stick 1 green cardamom pod - bruised 1 teaspoon roasted cacao nibs Bring to a boil and simmer partially covered for 20-30 minutes, until the currants are broken down into a delightful mush. Strain well over cheesecloth and let cool.
Next, sweeten, cook and set the jelly itself:
Bring the strained juice to a boil and whisk in... 1 ¼ cups organic sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract fresh lemon juice to taste
Finally, pour into sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath as per your altitude instructions. We’re typically at an additional five minutes.
Did I add low sugar pectin? I think so! And if so, I surely and another set of legitimate instructions in front of me at the time. I’m a little loosey goosey here since we’re talking berries from months ago. Shhh.
References + Relevant Links:
Carrot King [and Queen!] Live Off-Grid, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Rosehip Jelly made from Wild Fruit, University of Minnesota Extension
Spiced Carrot & Orange Jam, Ana Rusu