The Jam and Jelly Lady

Sometimes a mistake can turn out to be a good thing...

It's chaotic in our little cannery this time of year, as farmers arrive daily to drop off delicious offerings of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, black raspberries, a plethora of peppers, onions, zucchini, stone fruits, early tomatoes, herbs, etc.   Amidst the pressure of canning it all as quickly as possible, I made a funny mistake recently.

I was canning three recipes at once: Traffic Jam, Peach Jam, and Apricot and Pineapple Conserve.  I'd just finished prepping the pineapple for the conserve, and I dumped the fruit into a waiting pot -- only to peer in the pot to discover I'd accidently added pineapple to the Peach Jam pot!  Oh dear!

I avoided my initial reaction to throw the mixture into the compost pile.  "Take your time, Sonya, and give a moment to consider..."  I put the pot into the cooler and decided to wait a few hours...

Voila!  I was deep-frying shrimp for dinner, and was musing about what type of sauce to make for the shrimp.  Why not a tropical jam?  I pulled the peach-pineapple pot out, and began adding coconut creme, mango, papaya, and lemon juice.  

With some nervousness, I cooked down the jam.  For dinner, we dipped the shrimp into the jam with a little trepidation.  It was excellent!  

Looking forward to giving our customers a little taste at the farmers markets this weekend.  So happy to have something fun and new to offer! 

Just finished teaching a packed house of canners tonight how to can tomatoes three ways - boy the cannery smells good!  We canned Bruschetta, Italian tomatoes, and Creole Sauce.  While waiting for the pressure canners to finish, I made little garlic toasts, and we sopped up plates of bruschetta - yummy!

Some of the students missed the "Canning with Limoncello" class I gave in the spring, so I agreed to reteach it next week, Tuesday, July 12, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.  In this class, I teach the various stages of Limoncello (and of COURSE we sip a little!)  Then we make two jams using this delicious Italian liquor.  

I also agreed to teach "Pickling Fruits", and scheduled it for Wednesday evening, August 3.  We'll turn juicy ripe peaches and pears into delectable dessert fruits!  I love this class -- whipping out vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, and whole allspice!  All the sweetest spices of my childhood memories!

Both of these classes are for students who've already completed our Canning Boot Camp.  If you are a graduate, and are interested in either of these, send me an email, as I don't think I'll have time to get these on our online roster.  If you would like to register for Canning Boot Camp on Sunday, July 10, you may do so on our website: www.jamandjellylady.com

Thank you, all who came to class tonight, for helping me clean up.  As always, I enjoyed the evening! 

Probably the last Boot Camp we'll have for beginner's this summer is scheduled for Sunday, July 10.  Surprisingly, the positions (we only take 10 students) have gone rather quickly.  We have three left at this point.  

Why don't we teach canning in August?  Because we're so busy canning! Basically, I won't have a day off work until the beginning of November. (Good thing we had a relaxing camping vacation last week!)  Harvest season already began with strawberries, and now we're into blackberries, raspberries, and black raspberries.  

Berries are pretty easy to make into delicious jams, but peaches, apricots, nectarines, and plums are a bit different, and take longer.  Then along come tomatoes and corn - boy, now we're talking loongggggg days!  Add to that two farmer's markets, 15 retail outlets that we wholesell to, internet orders, walk-ins, phone orders, and some huge weekend shows in September and October...  No free weekends for a long time!  Thus, no more canning classes until at least the end of October.

If you've already taken our Boot Camp course, we have an excellent Tomatoes: Three Ways (Masters Class) scheduled for July 6, in the evening.

Happy Canning! 

As a place to take canning instruction, we are listed on the Ball website, www.freshpreserving.com under "Happenings" and "Learn to Can."  As such, UPS delivered an unexpected surprise today: a free box of the latest Ball products.  Like a kid in a candy store, I ripped into the box and unearthed all sorts of canning goodies that would cause my dear husband, Pete, to sigh and roll his eyes in exasperation!

Of course there was the latest Ball Blue Book, but the box also contained the newest retractable silicon funnel, jar lifters, dissolving jar labels, and the new line of pectins, pickle mixes, and salsa mix.

Didn't take me long to put everything to the test, as today I'm busy canning 100 jars of custom-labeled Strawberry Orange jam for the local United Way fundraising campaign.  Here are the results.

New funnel: OK, for very liquid items.  But I like hard plastic or stainless steel funnels better because I can press my spatula hard again them to whisk out the last bit of jam.  The new funnel is stairstepped, which catches jam and won't release it easily.

Already had the Blue Book: as canning cookbooks go, it's always the best bang for the buck.

Dissolving jar labels: I can hundreds of jars for my family, plus over an additional 10,000 for retail and wholesale.  Just too busy to put a nice label on our personal pantry item.  I just write on each lid anyway, and the commercially sold jars have specially ordered labels we use.  But I think other canners will appreciate these.

New mixes: Finally, Ball is making mixes that are more natural.  They're going to give Mrs. Wages a run for her money this summer, guaranteed!

Jar Lifter: Saved the best for last!  Wow.  A new era in canning!  The lifters are spring-loaded, so they're easier to operate.  Also, the rubber is thick and squared.  Makes it slightly easier to nudge a jar to the middle of a pressure canner so you can grab it and lift it.  

Good job, Ball.  We teachers are very happy today! 

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hosting a fabulous group of ladies who wanted to learn canning from the ground up.  Thanks so much for your enthusiasm, curiosity, creativity, and joy - you really kept me on my toes!

Especially Linda Oda, my dear friend from Springboro High School - you are an amazing woman - so inquisitive and sharp.  Because of you, I have a page of new ideas to teach!  Lynne - I think we're ALL going to go home and try your method of using fire tongs to pull jars from the water bath!  lol!!!

Elaine, we wish you well in the birth of your new baby.  I loved how the women immediately perked up at the news that you were expecting - we all had a piece of advice, whether or not you needed it!!!

Jessica and Jessica - look for our "Tomatoes Three Ways" Masters Class that will be on the website in a couple of days.  I've scheduled it for July 6th!

Jenny and Janet - could we HAVE any more "J's" in the class?  You were a riot!  I hope you enjoy your newfound skills.  

Everyone, I hope to see you in a few Masters Classes - you're all quite talented and resourceful!  It's not often that I get an entire class that is quite obviously intent on canning for many years to come...

Thank you, thank you, for the outstanding class.  I'm toasting you ALL with a little Limoncello right now as I'm canning Strawberry and Orange Jam! 

Wednesday evening posed a real problem: tornado watches abounded, yet one of our dear students, Deb, was coming from Zanesville, Ohio (over a 2 hours drive), to dive into relishes with us crazy canners.  But I couldn't get hold of her before she set out for Lebanon!  I rang the other students and gave them the option of rescheduling the class, but most decided to come to the cannery anyway.

We weren't 10 minutes into a brief history of relishes when the sirens went off!  We grabbed our notes and headed into the house for the basement! Between the kitty litter box and three childrens' toys and a plethora of "Oh, I'll refinish it someday" items, our basement had little comfort to offer! 

Nevertheless, the storm abated and we were able to finish class, albeit an hour late!  We made this delicious relish with zucchini, carrots, sweet peppers, celery seed, cider vinegar, and a few other ingredients.  We made corn relish, too, and then when hunger struck, we enjoyed crackers, cream cheese, and our new relishes on top!

Here's an interesting tidbit from the class (if you want more - register for our beginner's classes!! Love to have you!):  Relishes are not a condiment.  Condiments are smooth, and you wouldn't want to tuck into an entire mouthful of catsup, would you?  (OK, yeah. My nutty kids would...)  

Rather, relishes are chunky, and may be served atop foods, or as a side dish and eaten with a fork.  Relishes commonly contain vinegar, sugar, salt, vegetables, spices, and sometimes fruits.  Categories of relishes include "chutney", "pickle relish", "salsa", "piccalilli", and more.  The simplest relish, and the cheapest for manufacturers to make, is the ubiquitous pickle relish.  Usually a bland combination of chopped cucumbers, vinegar, and sugar.  If I have to make pickle relish, I zip it up with fabulous spices, maybe a little hot pepper thrown in.

Chutney is my favorite relish.  I love our Cranberry Chutney: cranberries (of course), pineapple, onions, raisins, garlic, mustard seed...   Puts a whole new perspective on those late-night Dagwood sandwiches!

Many thanks, again, to the students who braved Wednesday's storms. I am so very THANKFUL that everyone got home safely!  Deb, you're a trooper and a heck of a dedicated canning queen!  I had a blast, and Pete is loving all the new relish in our fridge.  We're going to have a veeerrryyyy tasty cookout this weekend! 

Last night's class was definitely one for the books.  I made a big batch of authentic limoncello base several weeks ago, and it's been infusing in my basement.  Last night my students and I made a simple syrup and finished the limoncello transformation.  

Needless to say, before they arrived to class, I'd already transformed a small batch earlier in the day, and had the sunny liqueur already chilled and in tiny, chilled shot glasses to greet them as they arrived at the cannery! We toasted and sipped all evening.

After demonstrating the stages of making the liqueur, I showed them how to combine it with other fruits.  We made an limoncello and apricot jam, and a limoncello and pear preserve.  Then we served them over ice cream as a quick dessert.  

As you can see in the picture, we couldn't help ourselves: we just HAD to clean out some lemons and scoop the ice cream & jam dessert into the halves.  Pretty AND yummy!

Our next Masters canning class is next week:  Relishes.  Keep in mind that the prerequisite for this class is our beginner's Boot Camp.   We have a new Boot Camp scheduled for June.

This weekend is typical of summer for us:  really burning the candle at both ends!  First, the West Chester Farmers Market near Cincinnati, Ohio opens. That market always opens with a bang - loads of vendors even though it's still pretty early for produce. The West Chester/Liberty Township Art Council is displaying tons of local talent at the market as well.  This year, the Council will be displaying works of art every second Saturday of the month at the market.

www.westchestersfarmersmarket.com for directions. 

Next, from 10-5 on Saturday, my strawberry farmer, Jon Branstrator, of Clarksville, is hosting his first private Snappin' Asparagus and Strawberry Jam Festival at his farm.  This event will showcase his splendid spring crops as well as our jams!  We utilized over 4,000 pounds of Jon's berries last year - both for our products and for teaching canning classes.   Other area farmers will also have small booths there to show off their first-of-the-season crops, too.  I believe Guy and Sandy Ashmore (That Guy's Family Farm) are going to be there - old friends of ours!  

That's the very best part about this little festival.  Catching up with all our farm friends.  Some of us have worked farmers markets for over 17 years together - back when a farmers' market was considered an 18th century oddity around here!   

www.branstratorfarms.com for directions.

Thanks for reading our blog, and have a great day! 

Just recovering from a very energetic group of Boot Camp canners yesterday!  What great questions, theories, and suggestions they had!

We began the class with lecture on mold, botulism, etc., and the importance of actually processing canned food.  After making a quick batch of strawberry jam (we got a little wild and added tangelo zest and juice, too), each student lined up to fill a jar.  Why is jar-filling time the most hilarious part of the class?  Haven't these women ladled soup before?? lol!  There's alway a lot of ribbing, nudging, and guffawing when someone fills a jar too high, or not enough!! 

After a quick lunch buffet, we began pressure canning glazed carrots.  Again, Sandie kept us in stitches, competing with her friends to create the most-likely-to-win-a-blue-ribbon-at-the-fair jar.  I suggested that they ALL enter their jars this year at the fair to let the judges decide!

While waiting for the pressure canning to do its work, we mowed through a warm baguette, brie, topped with a wide assortment of The Jam and Jelly Lady products.  I have to say, Pear Honey is always the winner.  It's a 4th generation spread, now that my daughter, Jessica, is canning it with me.

Thank you, thank you, ladies, for giving me such a special day with inspirational cooks.  It was my priviledge to can with you, and, as always, an honor to work with Chad.  Happy canning this summer, and I hope to see a few of you in Masters Classes!  FYI, Limoncello class is this Wednesday night, and we are DEFINATELY drinking, er, eating, a few of the samples!!

Due to some recent surgery, I've been mostly out of the cannery for three weeks.  I've got to teach a beginner's "Boot Camp" this weekend, so I've got to spend some time today dusting, mopping, and generally refamiliarizing myself with my work!  The cannery isn't small, so this is sometimes a daunting task for one person.

My most intimidating job is to clean four huge ceiling fans.  Why so many? The fans are an energy-conscious way of cooling the cannery while at the same time wicking away moisture on the many just-washed kettles.  The FDA prefers that we don't hand-dry the kettles - just let them air-dry.  But I NEED those kettles operational ASAP, so I spin those fans constantly to get the equipment dryer faster.  

 I'm working on writing a cookbook for canning beginner's right now.  Any name suggestions?  I want to write a book that reads clear as a bell for beginners, but also encourages and intrigues them to follow canning to its end.  Learning to can is just the beginning to a lifetime of good eating.  Taking canning to its next step is the hallmark of a true artisan though.  My plan is to write a beginners book, followed by a series of smaller books, each diving deeply into a specific area of canning, i.e, pickling fruits, chutneys, conserves, marmalades, etc. Wish me luck!  

P.S. for information about our upcoming classes, check out our page on this site, or look to our website, www.jamandjellylady.com.  Have a great day! 

Due to some recent surgery, I've been mostly out of the cannery for three weeks.  I've got to teach a beginner's "Boot Camp" this weekend, so I've got to spend some time today dusting, mopping, and generally refamiliarizing myself with my work!  The cannery isn't small, so this is sometimes a daunting task for one person.

My most intimidating job is to clean four huge ceiling fans.  Why so many? The fans are an energy-conscious way of cooling the cannery while at the same time wicking away moisture on the many just-washed kettles.  The FDA prefers that we don't hand-dry the kettles - just let them air-dry.  But I NEED those kettles operational ASAP, so I spin those fans constantly to get the equipment dryer faster.  

 I'm working on writing a cookbook for canning beginner's right now.  Any name suggestions?  I want to write a book that reads clear as a bell for beginners, but also encourages and intrigues them to follow canning to its end.  Learning to can is just the beginning to a lifetime of good eating.  Taking canning to its next step is the hallmark of a true artisan though.  My plan is to write a beginners book, followed by a series of smaller books, each diving deeply into a specific area of canning, i.e, pickling fruits, chutneys, conserves, marmalades, etc. Wish me luck!  

P.S. for information about our upcoming classes, check out our page on this site, or look to our website, www.jamandjellylady.com.  Have a great day! 

Mother's Day - a day of rest for me, or another business day?  I've been busy helping shipping Mother's Day jam across the country (has our first ever shipment to South Dakota this week - got to put a new pin on the map!) 

We ordered the cutest felt bags that hold two delicious jars of our jams.  The bag and and two 1/2 pint jars of jam, chutney, relish, etc. for only $17.  It's too late to make it there for Mother's Day, but we can still ship these gift bags for birthdays, teacher appreciation gifts, etc.  

I actually ask the same thing each year for Mother's Day: let me lay on my front porch swing all day, uninterrupted by children's squabbles, listening to the birds and the creek, and reading a new novel.  An afghan is nice, too.  I don't want to cook all day, just bring me Chinese take-out and a big glass of sweet tea.  

The last two years my dream has been dashed by rain and high winds.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Happy Mother's Day to each and every wonderful Mother! 

We have been rapidly filling our Beginner's Boot Camp Canning Classes on our website!  It's great to see so many people with the desire to get back to real cooking and real eating!  The May class is nearly full, and June is already half full.  

 After our students complete a Boot Camp, they are welcome to register for Masters classes.  You can see a description on our website about each class.  For starters, in Masters will be learning how to make the impossibly delicious Italian lemon liquor, limoncello, and then how to can with it!

Make your reservations now!  With a busy canning summer ahead of us, e won't be teaching beginner classes much long this year! 

Shutting down the cannery next week due to a much-awaited surgery for my foot.  Can't drive for a month afterward, so it will be very interesting trying to deliver products to our wholesale customers.  Never fear, Jessica is here!  She got her temps a few months ago and is willing to be my chauffeur in the afternoons, after school.  So no one can have any jam emergencies in the middle of the day, right?!? ;-)

When I get back on my feet, the latest crop of full-size Vidalia onions will be hitting Ohio.  Can't wait to get my hands on those beautiful onions!  Vidalia onion relish, Vidalia onion marmalade...  Yummm.

For the first time, I saw BABY Vidalias at the grocer.  I bought some, and made a delicious sauce for our steaks last night.  Here's the recipe:

In the same skillet you seared the steaks in, saute 3 finely sliced baby Vidalias in 1 TB of vegetable oil for about 3 minutes.  Add 8 oz. thinly sliced fresh mushrooms and saute another 5 minutes.  Add 3 cloves minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds, just until the essential oils are released.  

Into the skillet, pour 1/2 cup of red wine or sherry, and 1 cup of chicken broth.  Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to add flavor to  the sauce.  Add 1/2 TB dried thyme and salt/pepper to taste.  Simmer. Reduce the sauce by about a quarter (about 5-8 minutes).  

Spoon over waiting steaks - scrumptious!!!  My kitchen STILL smells rich and delicious this morning, and my husband can't wait for lunch leftovers!