Berry Patch Update

The berry patch I planted this spring is doing well.   Here's a pic of it with the berries all growing up.   I keep my beehives in the center.   The berries protect the hives and the bees keep berry loving critters from getting tooo close.  Like the dog. 

I got all the berries from Stark Bros on sale, because I'm cheap and because getting those combo packs is a great way to try out several varieties. 

There are a bunch of blackberries, red raspberries and golden raspberries in here.   Many have actually borne fruit this year in spite of being babies.    This gives me hope that next year I'll have enough fruit for lots of pies.   And tarts.   And jam.   And more pies.   And maybe some to freeze.  

Perma-Flo Experiment #3: Peach Plum Raspberry Pie Filling

The pie filling experiments with Perma Flo continue.    Both because I'm curious about this stuff and more than a little OCD. 

That's CDO for you guys who like to see things alphabetized.

Experiment 1 is here.  Good, but gloopy.
Experiment 2 is here.  Runny.

In this batch of pie filling I decided to see what would happen if I macerated the fruit with sugar overnight to bring out the juices so I wouldn't have to add any extra water.

We dumped enough fruit [4 cups per pie] for 3 pies in a big bowl with 3/4 cup sugar per pie [2 1/4 cups total] and let it sit overnight.  The next day the juices were flowing and I put the fruit-sugar mix in the pot and heated it to boiling.   Then I added 1/4 cup Perma Flo per pie [3/4 cup total] and stirred like crazy.   As soon as it got thick I turned off the heat.   It made beautiful pie filling at just the right consistency. 

One problem:   As soon as you add the dry Perma Flo, it clumps.   That makes it hard to stir in completely and in the finished pie, you get the occasional gloopy gluey lump.   It's not a deal breaker, but surely there's a better way.

Stay tuned for Experiment #4.  

Frog Jam

First off, because I know you're wondering, no frogs were harmed in the creation of this jam.

There are no frogs, or frog parts, in this jam, either.   I mean really! - Eww!

But you know, if you made this for your kids for Halloween, you wouldn't have to tell them that.   Just set it down in front of them and tell them that it's frog jam.   Let them wonder.

This stuff is really, really tasty.   We first found it in an Amish store, where we purchased it with glee. It was so good that I had to recreate it - plus, it was just too much fun not to make myself.

The name comes from the ingredients:  Figs, Raspberries, Orange, Ginger.

Heh.   Don't tell the kids.

Frog Jam
by www.rurification.com

• 1 pkg dried calamyrna figs, 250gm [about 13 figs]
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 cup red raspberries [I used frozen]
• zest and juice from 1 orange
• 4 Tablespoons dry pectin
• 1 Tablespoon minced candied ginger
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

Cut the figs into tiny pieces.   I sliced them into 1/4 inch strips and then cut them again into 1/4 inch cubes.   That worked great.

Put the figs, water, raspberries, orange zest and juice and pectin in a heavy pot.   Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes to reconstitute the figs.   Raise the temp and bring to a hard boil that you can't stir down.   Boil hard for 1 minute.   Add ginger and sugar and return to a hard boil.  Stir constantly!
Ladle into jars.   Makes 3 pints.  

Note:   The flavors need to meld.   Make this at least 2 days in advance and let it sit before you dig in.  

Black Raspberry Jam - Low Sugar

We have a few patches of black raspberries on our place.   They like dappled shade and mostly hang out at the edges of the woods.   The berries are small and the canes are thorny.   It's hot, sticky, ticky work gathering them, but oh, so worth it.  With them we make one of the easiest jams ever.  Only four ingredients.  

This jam is the taste of hot summer days, bird song and country breezes.  


Black Raspberry Jam

• 4 cups black raspberries
• 2 cups water
• 4 Tablespoons Dutch Jell All Natural Lite Pectin
• 2 cups sugar

Mix the raspberries, water and pectin in a large pot.   Bring to hard rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil hard for 1 minute.    Add sugar.  Stir well and bring back to hard rolling boil, stirring constantly.   Boil hard for 1 minute.   Ladle into jars and process 10 minutes for canning.  Yield 2.5 pints.


Note:  We tried this jam with vanilla, but decided that the vanilla only detracted from the wonderful flavor of this fruit.  Leave the berries plain.


For more recipes as easy as this one, check out my ebook on the sidebar.  A Simple Jar of Jam: 180+ recipes & variations for jam using low sugar pectin.  Every purchase goes a long way toward supporting the blog.   Thank you!

Peach Pie Filling

Last year I made peach pie filling in a jar.   The kind that all I had to do was open it up and pour it in a pie crust and bake.  

I love that kind.

It was delicious.  Here's the link.

So this year, I decided to make some more with our peach bounty.

Only I wanted to do something a little different than just nutmeg.

So I added some red raspberries and vanilla.

Raptures.

I made a big batch so I'd have several bottles.    I'm so glad I did.

Peach Raspberry Vanilla Pie Filling

• 16 cups chopped peaches
• 2 cups raspberries
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 4 Tablespoons vanilla

Mix it all together and bring to a boil.   It'll get clear when the corn starch does it's thing.   Yield 4 quarts.  Process for canning 20 minutes.

Note:   The cornstarch will do just fine in this pie filling for 6 months.   After that it starts to separate a bit.   Make sure you keep these at the front of the cupboard so you remember to use them first.

Bon apetit!     [Is that how you spell that?]

Peach Raspberry Vanilla Jam

In addition to all the spiced peach jams I made, I wanted something with a little less ping.

I wanted pink instead of ping. 

There are a couple of ways to make peach jam pink.

1.  You can leave the skins on when you cook it, but my kids hate the whole fruit skin thing.  [And I totally roll my eyes whenever it comes up because they Really. Care. Mom.]  So I'd have to get the skins out, or run the whole thing through a sieve, but that seemed like a lot of extra work.   I don't need more work.

2.  You can add food coloring.    Nope.   I don't think so.

3.  You can add red raspberries.  Oh. Yes.

We went with #3.   It's pink AND it combines two lovely flavors.

And then we added vanilla.

Because I totally heart vanilla. 

I might have said that before.

And this is how it went:

Peach Raspberry Vanilla Jam

• 3 cups peaches
• 2 cups red raspberries
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup Dutch Jell All Natural Lite pectin  OR  3 Tablespoons Ball Low Sugar Pectin
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla.

Mix the peaches, raspberries, lemon juice and pectin in a large pot.   Bring to hard rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil hard for 1 minute.    Add sugar and vanilla.  Stir well and bring back to hard rolling boil, stirring constantly.   Boil hard for 1 minute.   Ladle into jars and process 10 minutes for canning.  Yield 3 pints.

Note:  You can easily make vanilla extract yourself.   Try it. You'll never go back.