My aunt used to make plum jelly that makes my mouth water just to think about. Note to self - I need to try to make some next year!
If you're not in the canning business and don't know anyone who is, check with your local farmer's market, flea markets, local grocers, etc. A lot of people make jams/jellies/preserves and sell them. You will definitely appreciate the variety of flavors, freshness/quality of the produce used, and the extra love that goes into homemade products.
I love canning, when my kids were small we NEVER bought jam or jelly from the store. We picked strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and made our own. I have always lived in the south and love the southern rituals of canning. I have made my own salsa, hot chow-chow, etc. I currently have 4 gallons of scuppernogs in my freezer waiting on me to turn them into jelly! Thanks for your post!
ReplyDeleteWhat in the world are scuppernogs?
ReplyDeleteI do know what hot chow chow is, though ;-)
I admit, I now use the freezer jam recipes...much quicker that traditional canning. We get all our berries on family land, so I know where they are coming from. Nothing tastes better in January than strawberry jam that tastes like a fresh strawberry.
Cheryl
@ Cheryl... I now live in FL and the local grapes are called Scuppernongs (misspelled before - sorry) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuppernong
ReplyDelete