The Jam and Jelly Lady

We've had such a fun time in the cannery this week (well, I guess we always do, regardless!)  Got a great order that's been a blast to fulfill.  A bride in Cleveland needed favors for her wedding.  As the bridesmaids' dresses were called "blackberry" in the catalog, this creative bride decided to order jars of our low-sugar Blackberry Jam for the event.

It gets better.  Rather than use our regular red-and-white gingham checked fabric, she decided to find her own purple gingham.  She drop-shipped the special gingham to me.  Meanwhile, I canned 135 jars of Blackberry Jam, but instead of using the traditional gold lids and bands that we order in bulk, I used the new Ball platinum lids and rings.  The platinum/light purple combination is stunning.  

Then the labels.  We custom-labeled each jar: a starburst label with the groom's last name written in the same typeface as the wedding invitations. The bride named the jam "Blackberry Jubilee" and added the idiom "Made with 100% Love", followed by the date of the wedding.

The wedding planner was working on the place settings last night, I hear, trying to find the best way to present the pretty jars.  The wedding photographer is including the place settings in her album, so I'll be posting a picture of the place setting here, when the wedding is concluded.

 How fun!  I love making jam for weddings.  Apple Cider Butter for fall, Christmas Jam for December, Strawberry Jam for June, Winterberry Jam for January and February weddings.  If only I'd been running a cannery when I got married 20 years ago!!  

A week of rain and snow turned our backyard into a muddy mess today, but that didn't stop new canners from turning out in droves for the Canning Boot Camp!  This was a pretty advanced set of beginners today.  Except for one student, all had at least tried to can before, and some had spent quite a few hours at the elbows of moms, aunts, and grandmas as children.  

A recurring question today was this:  Why do some jams turn out dark, almost caramel tasting, but not in a good way?

The answer: overcooking.  First time canners most commonly have this problem with Strawberry Jam.  One student said she was boiling this jam, and got worried when the foaming bubbles grew high.  So she turned the temperature quite low and continued cooking until a set was reached.  But the resulting jam tasted horrible.

The solution:  Always cook Strawberry Jam at a high temperature.   Yes, it will boil high, but as long as it doesn't boil over the top¹, continue stirring frequently.  Eventually most of the water in the berries will evaporate, and the foam will decrease, and the level of the jam will drop dramatically in the pot.  If you try to cook this jam slowly, it will overcook and develop a nasty, thick, smoky, almost caramel flavor.

¹If your jams boil over the top of your pot, your pot is not deep enough.  It's natural for fruit to boil very high as they release their liquid into steam.  Always use the right size pot for the size of batch you're canning to avoid stove fires, burns on your skin, and big messes to clean!

Tonight, I had the privilege of teaching some very talented canners and foodies how to make the king of spreads: Lemon Curd.  This incredibly potent spread is loaded with butter, lemon zest, and egg yolks.  It's made in very small batches, and has a short shelf life to boot.  This is surely "slow food" - it's a tough recipe that is full of love!  You have to be a crazy canner not to run to the grocery and buy this instead!

After we made the curd, I showed the students how to make a rich dessert with the curd.  Decadent!  

Thanks, Jennifer, for the brownies and salsa you brought to share!  That was so sweet!  And Chad, we are looking forward to your pickle recipe - loved the cloves - very sneaky.   Enjoyed everyone's company, camaraderie, and kitchen wisdom.  Thanks!

It's not news to anyone who knows me: I'm crazy about the science of preserving.  I've been studying it for half my life!  When I teach a Canning Boot Camp, I love to include snippets of preserving history.  I just had to share one of these fascinating pieces today!

I've always been mesmerized by the "Cornish Pasty" - sort of like today's "Hot Pocket" frozen food.  During the Middle Ages, women would bake half-moons of dough filled with pieces of beef, bacon, fish, onions, potatoes, cabbage, and other vegetables.  Sometimes a little sweet jam or fruit was baked in one corner of the pocket for dessert!  Pasties were easily transportable for workers, and they preserved the fillings until workers broke for lunch. 

My favorite version of a pasty, however, is the kalakukko from Finland. "Kala" is Finnish for "fish", and "kukkaro" means purse.  Rye in the dough makes this huge pasty quite dark colored.  Baked at a low temperature for several hours, the fish bones inside the kalakukko actually melt, adding to the flavor and moistness of the filling.

The coolest version of kalakukko had a wicker handle baked into its side.  With no fast food or buffets to enjoy after church, families would carry a family-sized kalakukko to church and hang it on a tree outside.  After church, families would picnic together before journeying the long way home!

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Canning in big, heavy pots and carrying boxes and boxes of filled jars is not for the weak!  And certainly a strain for those of us who had foot surgery recently! 

You know, you go for years, thinking that your body is indestructible.  Really, my general doctor barely knows my name!  But 4 weeks ago a surgeon ripped apart my left foot.  I really thought no big deal, I'll be back in the saddle in a few days...  But he had other thoughts.  No lifting my kettles for at least a month (I'm cheating - I starting lifting a little after 3 weeks..)  And as soon as the left foot heals, he wants to get his nimble hands on my RIGHT foot!  Then no driving for a whole MONTH! 

The upside of this road bump is that I've had more time to work on the cookbook I've been trying to finish for years.  I networked to find the best deals (and some new ideas) on canning supplies for our retail area.  And I'm getting to learn a new accounting system that will help me keep track of costs, income, inventory, etc. 

VERY much looking forward to Saturday, the 12th, when I get to teach the first Boot Camp in a long while.  We've got four new canners in the class so far, and have room for six more, so anyone interested should sign up at www.jamandjellylady.com.

Leaving for the West Chester farmers market now.  It's so rainy and cold outside, but I'm looking forward to the warmth of good friends and a hot cup of coffee as we greet our die-hard customers!

The Canning Boot Camp scheduled for Saturday, March 5, has been cancelled.  I'll post the new date within the week.

The Lemon Curd Class for Master Canners is still on!

Beginner's Canning Boot Camp 

Saturday, March 5, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

This comprehensive, hands-on course will teach you how to water bath high acid foods and pressure can the low acid foods.  Limited number of students enables us to make this a fully hands-on course.  See our website for detailed information.  $80

Masters Class: Lemon Curd

Wednesday, March 9,  6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Only available to those canners who've completed our Boot Camp.  We will tackle the complexities of creating curds, and why they work!  Each student will can his/her own jar, and then I'll demo how to turn a jar into a decadent dessert! $25

 Register for these classes at www.jamandjellylady.com! 

When I'm teaching a beginner's Canning Class, I always make a point of impressing on the students how utterly miraculous food preservation really is.  No, really.

How is it that by applying heat to a sealed jar, you simultaneously kill bacteria that can't stand the heat, while "smothering" heat-insensitive bacteria that must have oxygen?  I know, I'm a canning nerd.  But all forms of food preservation just make the nerd in me blossom: cure it with salt, soak it in honey, dump it in vinegar, dry it in the sun.  Nature provides this wonder that's enabled mankind to survive tough winters, saved entire nations of people from starvation, and helped explorers and warriors travel to far-away lands - even the moon.

I came across this favorite passage today, and thought it summed up my adoration of the preserving sciences and the miracle that it is:

An understanding of what food is and how cooking works does no violence to the art of cuisine, destroys no delightful mystery.  Instead, the mystery expands from matters of expertise and taste to encompass  the hidden patterns and wonderful coincidences of nature.  How remarkable it is, when you come to think in such terms, that heat has the fortunate effects on the flavor and digestibility of plant and animal tissues, that roast and meringue are two different outcomes of the same process, that wheat proteins have just the right balance of properties to make raised bread possible, that bread, cheese and yogurt, beer and wine are all the result of controlled spoilage!  Science can enrich our culinary experience by deepening its significance, by disclosing its connections with the rest of the world.

-Harold McGee, On Food and Cooking: The Science and lore of the Kitchen (1991) 

 OK, I'm stepping down from my soap box now.  But the next time you open a jar of applesauce, or fry a few strips of bacon, think of how nature's "coincidences" made your breakfast possible.   

A key tool for canning is the pot you cook in.  It's important that you choose a pot with these characteristics:

1.  Nonreactive.  Your pot should be made of a nonreactive substance.  I.e., not aluminum or some old baked-on enamel that has started cracking!  Those were pots your grandma may have used, but believe me, she would have killed for a good stainless steel pot!  Aluminum and regular steel impart their metallic flavors to foods (especially acidic ones like fruits) when they are heated together.   The metallic flavor gets stronger after the jars are processed, too!

So what pots ARE good to use?  Stainless steel is the most common.  It's more expensive than an enamel-over-steel kettle, but it won't chip like enamel.   Enamel pots are anywhere between $10 and $30, while stainless usually starts at $65 for a 12-quart pot and goes up to $200. The price rises as the capacity grows.

Also, Le Creuset pots are fine.  Their enamel-over-cast iron feature is baked on so hard that it is unlikely to chip.  A Le Creuset pot big enough to accomodate preserving is going to be one really expensive pot, though!  The largest Le Creuset I own was $40 at an estate sale.  It is $350 retail, though, and only accomodates a small batch of jam (7 or so jars).

Copper works well, too, but there are some tricks to combining the fruit and sugar before it hits the pot.  Tricky (and the priciest alternative!). 

2.  Weight.  Don't select a cheap, light-weight pot.  A good stainless pot will have 18/10 steel with a try-ply bottom.  This is cheap insurance!  When your child runs in the kitchen screaming with a splinter in his finger, or a long-long friend calls, you're going to forget you're in the middle of canning.  Life goes on, right?  A thick-bottomed pot protects your ingredients from scorching easily.  Raspberry seeds LOVE to collect at the bottom of a pot.  They sit there and scorch quite easily if you don't stir a lot.  A try-ply bottom lets them sit there for a while before they scorch. 

3.  Height and width. A good canning pot has to have high sides and a wide width.  The height accomodates the immense amount of foam and bubbles that occur when fruits release their water.  And for the water to evaporate, you have to have a large surface area -- thus a wide pot.  The wider the pot, the faster the jam cooks.  And that is important because quite a few fruits taste like unpleasant, overcooked caramel when they've cooked too long.

My pick? For a canning novice, choose a 16-qt. stainless steel pot, 18/10 thickness, try-ply bottom.  It will last years!

We have just finished designing a new jam for Valley Vineyards, here in Morrow, Ohio.  It's a Valentine's day-themed jam, but will be sold year round in their tasting room.  NAME the new jam and win a jar of it shipped to your home!

Here are the ingredients: locally grown Ohio strawberries (the fruit of Love), jalapenos, cumin, cayenne, and (drum roll, please) Pink Catawba wine - an Ohio heritage wine!  It's a sweet/spicy spread, just a little heat on the end of the taste.  Perfect for spreading over warm brie or glazing grilled chicken!

When you are coming up with a name, think hot, jazzy, sweet, Valentine's Day.  Think alliteration and fun.  To enter your name, log onto Facebook and search for VV's page, under Valley Vineyards Ohio.  You'll see the thread started yesterday.  Just slide your suggestion onto the bottom of the thread.  Don't respond here on my blog; by the time I see it, the contest will be over (today, Thursday, at 5:00 EST).

Have fun and good luck! 

Announcing our first 2011 Canning Boot Camp!  On February 5, 10-4, in Lebanon, Ohio, 10 students will roll up their sleeves, don clean aprons (however little time THAT lasts!), and immerse themselves in water bath and pressure canning!

Our classes are limited to only 10 people because I give one-on-one attention, and everything is hands on.   We'll start out investigating the food science of canning, and then move into Strawberry Jam, made with locally grown strawberries.

Then we'll have a delicious lunch, plus dessert topped by some of the fresh jam.  After our repast, we'll dive into canning low acid foods with a pressure canner.  I'll teach both analog and weighted gauge technology, and students will be able to see and compare both methods.  We'll cook and can some very special Glazed Carrots in this section.

During class, we always have fun exchanging contact information for local u-picks, CSAs, and other important sources for canners.  We offer a variety of equipment for purchase that day, too.  

40% of the class has filled since this morning, so if you are interested, please register on our website soon.  I'm planning to have surgery in mid-February, and don't know when I'll be able to teach this again this spring.  I'm planning on teaching it again, but won't be able to put together a schedule until I see how the surgery goes.  Enjoy the snow!

I love January, and canning in my warm Summer Kitchen, while gazing frequently at the white landscape and drifting snow outside.  Today, I heated up some locally-pressed apple cider to sip, and worked on canning Sweetheart Spread and Blackberry Jam.  The spread is a jam concocted with locally grown Ohio strawberries, orange juice, orange zest, Grand Marnier (definately a Valentine-y liquor!), and organic lemon juice.  Wow, the smell is so good! 

Worked on our new class list for February through May. It reminded me of a funny story. 

Last February, we got a boatload of snow one fine Friday, the night before a Canning Boot Camp.  I had to cancel the camp.  But trying to negotiate a new date for all the new students to agree on was quite difficult - we all live busy lives!  After 2 weeks of back-and-forth emails, I THOUGHT I found a date that worked for everyone in March.  But one April morning, Pete and I were luxuriating on our bed, planning our carefree morning with A) no farmer's markets  B) no canning classes, and  C) no basketball games or Scout meetings with our kids!  Suddenly - a knock on the back door - odd!  Pete ran downstairs while I hurriedly threw on clothes.  Apparently, there were three women standing outside, wondering if they had the right address for Canning Boot Camp!

Oh My Gosh! 

I waltzed out the back door, acting as if I was just running a tad behind.  (Thank goodness I'd just scoured the Summer Kitchen the night before!)  I put on a pot of coffee, printed the class notes, and thawed some strawberries, all the while chatting and meeting the students.  I ran into the restroom to tuck in my shirt, smooth my hair, and gargle FAST!  Pete, meanwhile, was racing to Kroger to pick up food and drinks for lunch!  (Boot Camp is about 6 hours, and I always serve a nice lunch and dessert!)

You just have to laugh about those mistakes in life.  One of those beginning canners is now an employee of mine - fantastic cook!  We still guffaw about that morning!

Sweet - we just joined forces with the Cincinnati-based "Locally Harvested for You".   http://www.locallyharvestedforyou.com/  This is a year-round local resource for farm-fresh, in-season produce, meat, dairy, and cottage industry products grown and developed by conscientious small-scale farmers and producers right here in the Ohio Valley!

I'm impressed by the quality of products available on this fledgling site.  The operator, Stacy Egan, has built a nice list of local farmers, canners, bakers, etc., in a very short amount of time. 

The interesting part of Stacy's brainchild is that members place orders online, and then on a designated day of the week, they meet at a regular location in their vicinity to pick up their order.  No more running your car, throwing exhaust fumes for miles around several counties to find hydroponic lettuce, eggs, bacon, or jam!  How green is this idea?

Working long hours in the cannery this time of the year can have a distrastrous effect on the real reason for the season!  So I try hard to make time to participate in as many inspirational gatherings as possible.  So far, my kids and I have taken care of Christmas for four children in our town (anonymously); we went to Advent Carols and Lessons at Cincinnati's Atheneum; we witnessed the candlelight horse-drawn carriage parade in our hometown; we are helping shop/purchase groceries for 15 local families; we're working in a local soup kitchen (and I DO know my way around a kitchen - lol!)...

We've anticipated these traditions for many years, but last night I witnessed a new one.  I was giving a tasting of our jams at the Valley Vineyards "Light Up the Valley" event, and I felt as though I was in the middle of Bing Crosby's "White Christmas!"  100 guests arrived and were greeted by me with a simple plate of brie and various wine-based jams that I custom-can for the vineyard. 

The enormous lodge-like hall was lit with thousands of twinkling lights,  and smelled of fresh cedar. Each couple chose a bottle of wine and then went outside to see the tree lighting!  Inside the lodge, a chorus sang rousing holiday tunes, finishing with White Christmas.  Joe Schuchter, third-generation vintner, toasted his father and grandfather (more champagne!) 

Then the guests dined on German fare:  pickled red cabbage and pork, pork loin, rosemary potatoes, butter bean salad, etc.  Santa did a whopping job on door prizes.  The dessert room held hundreds of tiny homemade cheesecakes (which I topped with jam!), German chocolate cake, candied fruits, "Ice Winetinis" (the cool, teeny grapes for decor were just picked frozen that day in the fields for next season), mulled Honey Mead with cinnamon whipped cream, and, of course, champagne and port.  NEXT year, I may do a tasting, but I'll be sure to bring my husband to be a guest with me, too!  What a slice of holiday heaven this event was!  Gotta find a ball gown, too, like Rosemary Clooney... lol!  Merry Christmas!

This has been simply the best wholesale year for our little cannery in the country!  We just added another retail location where you can find our jams!

La Crema Coffee Company (www.lacremacoffeecompany.com) in West Chester, Ohio, has the cutest retail shop in the front of the house, and the most fragrant coffee roasterie in the back.  What a hoot to get out of your car and have your nostrils instantly assailed by rich, roasting coffee!

La Crema's retail store is unbelievable.  Melissa Flohn, owner, is quite imaginative, and her products reflect her sassy attitude.  The gift shop is as glitzy and fun as Santa's workshop on steroids!  Stop by for a cup of her fresh brew and enjoy shopping for everything LOCAL: coffee, jam, artwork, infused dipping oils, bread and cake mixes, dip mixes, and lots of fun, colorful coffee accoutrements.

Thanks to all the local businesses who've been a stepping stone to our success this year: La Crema Coffee Company, Liberty Western, Brookville Inn, Valley Vineyards, Picture This, Heritage House, The Dayton International Airport, Bigg's grocery, Keeping It Country, Butcher Bill's, and The Workshops of David T. Smith!