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you can buy your local strawberries

hurry, season almost over!

…or pick your own as I did with my granddaughter

Okay, no excuses here. Somehow the month of June has — or is — slipping past me all too quickly. Strawberries here in Connecticut were a bit late this year due to the cool spring. Then, the past week, we’ve had tropical summer temperatures. According to local farm stands, the berries will disappear within the next few days. So, here’s something that you can do to quickly capture the local strawberry experience all winter long. I stress local because in my taste bud’s opinion, there is simply no point in strawberries unless they are local and in season. The others may be beautiful, but they are generally all for show. Bred to be large, beautiful, and easily transported. Okay, enough sermonizing. Here’s the plan: strawberry freezer jam!

strawberry freezer jam — kid’s play

This really is a great activity to share with your favorite little one!

In my Can It! book, I have a recipe for strawberry freezer jam and tell how I used to make this with my kids when they were preschool age. Well, now I’m making it with my preschool grandkids. It’s that easy. I made a batch last weekend and timed myself. From start to finish — including all prep and clean up , everything back in its place and six lovely jars of jam waiting to freeze — took me about fifty minutes. That’s less time than going to the store to buy some jam. And the flavor of freezer jam is amazing. Because you don’t cook the berries, they keep their full, fresh, just-picked flavor. (Sounds like a commercial, doesn’t it, but it’s true.)

recipe for strawberry freezer jam

Yield: 5-6 half-pints Ingredients:

• 2 cups mashed strawberries (just about a quart)
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 box (1.75 oz.) dry pectin (such as Sure-Jell or Certo)
• 3/4 cup of water (or the amount required on the pectin that you purchase)

method

1. Thoroughly wash and rinse freezer containers. Straight-sided plastic in one- and two-cup sizes are best, but glass jelly jars can also be used as long as you leave sufficient head space, i.e, room at the top for expansion.
2. Thoroughly wash berries and remove and compost stems. Cut in halves or quarters to make mashing easier.
3. Measure exact amount of sugar.
4. Mash the strawberries and measure exact amount. Do not use a blender, a potato masher is perfect. You want the jam to have some texture.
   

   4b: Here are the berries mashed up

   

   4a. Mash the strawberries, one layer at a time. here I’m just starting.

5. Add the sugar to the mashed strawberries; stir until it’s mixed together, and let it stand for ten minutes.
   

   5. Stir until the sugar and berries are completely mixed. I’ve still got a ways to go here.

6. Dissolve dry pectin in water and boil for one minute.
7. Add the pectin/water mixture to the fruit/sugar mixture and stir constantly for three minutes. The sugar should be pretty well dissolved, though you may see a few grains.
   

   8. Pouring jam into my jelly jars. I use my canning funnel to make it easier.

8. Put the jam in straight-sided freezer containers, being sure to allow one-half inch headspace for expansion when frozen. Put top on containers.
9. Let it stand at room temperature until set, usually twenty-four hours.
10. Label and date. Store in refrigerator for three weeks or in freezer for up to one year. Trust me, you’ll eat them way before then! When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator. When you spread it on your morning toast, you’ll be transported back to summer.

9. Let stand for up to 24 hours, until jam is set.