farmers market – Lydia Street

Just LOOK at what we found at the farmer’s market over the weekend! Jam! Well, not yet anyway.

We found these old Mason jars in a junk store a few years ago – five of them for $3 — and I love the way the jam looks in them.

I know that some people strain the seeds from the jam but we don’t. Call us crazy. We don’t care.

One batch of blackberry jam is 5 cups crushed fruit, one package of dry Sure Jell pectin and 7 cups of sugar. You add the pectin to the berries and bring to a boil. Next, add the sugar and bring back to a hard, rolling boil for one minute. Fill clean and hot jars, add lids and rings.

And here’s the controversial next step. Turn the jars upside down for 5 minutes, then flip them back over and let them cool. I know, I know, most recipes will tell you to put the jars into a water bath but you don’t REALLY have to do that.

You’ll start to hear the pop of the lids sealing almost instantly, indicating that the jars are properly sealed and ready for storage or serving or gifting.