The Jam and Jelly Lady

Whew!  Trying to get ready for the Glendale Wine, Beer, and Food Festival that runs Friday through Sunday in Cincinnati takes days,  Meanwhile, I've been getting lots of email from folks who want to take a Beginner's Class, but can't make the class I've got schedule for next week, Mon and Tues the 17th and 18th.

So, I glued myself to the computer for a 1/2 hour and tried to come up with a date that will help everyone.  Sorry, can't do Saturday classes now that the farmers markets are beginning!  Without further ado, here is our schedule:

Beginner's All-Day Canning Class: Sunday, June 20, noon - 6.  In between water bath and pressure canning, I will serve a small tea using the jam you've made.  Each student takes home 2 jars they've canned themselves.  Very hands on.  $75.  To register: www.jamandjellylady.com  This may well be the last all-day class I'm able to offer until October, due to a merrily BUSY canning season!!

Master's Class - Chutneys: Tuesday, June 22, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. $25.  You must have completed the beginner's class before moving on to this class!  We will learn to can two delicious chutneys this evening, and you will take a jar of each home.  Fabulous way to use up excess garden this summer!

Don't forget that you can purchase canning equipment after class: jars, water baths, pressure canners, books, and more. 

Don't wait to take a canning class - we won't offer any during the months of August or September because we're crazy canning everything in sight for the winter sales!!

I've received some emails regarding the next Beginner's Canning Class (May 17 and 18).  Yes, there is still room for more students.  And this is simply the best time to learn to can  --  BEFORE canning season goes crazy!  Sign up on our website, www.jamandjellylady.com.

First-time canners need time to evaluate, purchase, plant, and prepare before actually canning.  Although we offer classes in June and July, I always recommend folks take their class in the winter or spring.  I'm not trying to overwhelm anybody, because this is all doable, but for some folks this is a lot to do on a limited schedule.  Here is a "check list" a new canner usually goes through after taking one of our classes:

- reevaluate the garden plans.  After taking the class, 25 tomato heirloom tomatos should be balanced with a few romas, basil, and onions.  This is a decision that can't be made in July!

- evaluate canning supplies.  After learning what a good jar looks like, my free quart jars from a garage sale are obviously woefully best for recycling.  They are chipped and too big for jam anyway... 

- order a water bath or pressure canner, and any other specialty equipment I would enjoy this season: cherry pitter, food mill, apple corer/slicer, strawberry huller, juicer, food processor, jar lifter, scale, colander, stainless stockpot, imported spices, special canning jars for Christmas gifts...

- spend hours poring through canning books to generate a list of delicious recipes I want to make for my family and friends.  I'm missing a lot of key ingredients, so let's reevaluate the garden plan AGAIN!

- find local farmers and speak with them about u-picks, CSAs, farm markets, and other outlets for the produce I'll need.  Visit the farms, sign CSA agreements, and check on u-pick hours (because if I'm late, the good berries and apples will be gone!)

I'm just sayin'...  For some people, entering the world of canning is a natural step.  But I've known some students to actually take off a few days of work to purchase equipment, find farms, redo their entire garden, plan recipes, and make themselves generally crazy!  If you are of this ilk, please plan early - don't wait until July! 

"Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage." -- Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby

I'm often asked in canning classes how I feel about using old jars.  Really depends on what you classify as old.  I've had several students so worried about food safety that they never used a jar twice!  On the other hand, I've had students use the oldest, narliest jars (including mayo jars) and they can't figure out why their canning success ratio is so low!

Canning jars are made to be used again and again.  The glass is very thick and can withstand the heat of a water bath canner or a pressure canner.  That's why it's not safe to use a jar from the store that you purchased spaghetti sauce or mayo in.  These jars are very rarely thick enough for your purpose.  The process used to store foods in these containers does not require a sturdy jar that can withstand pressure and heat.

However, even a canning jar can get worn out. 

Always check your jars for even the tiniest chips in their rims.  An uneven rim prohibits a lid from pressing tightly against the jar.  Beautiful old jars are usually best for decoration only! 

Try this: take a new jar and an old jar, and run your fingertip lightly around the rims of both, and you'll easily feel the difference.  Old jars were manufactured with less accurate technologies, and their rims are frequently uneven and often sport a raised ridge on the inside rim.  Food canned in older jars has a higher rate of improper sealing because the lid cannot snugly connect to a faulty rim.  Even if a jar seems sealed today, an older rim may be struggling to stay sealed, and in the middle of winter you may find your once-sealed jar to be floating in moldy scum! 

Older jars can still be used to store dry ingredients, seeds, or just look beautiful on a windowsill!  New jars can be used for quite a long time, so you'll get your money's worth, AND you will have safe food to serve your family and friends!

I flew through house cleaning, laundry, and starting pulled pork for dinner just so I can get through this morning's canning a little earlier (I'm making Pear Honey) and get to my favorite springtime chore: shopping for my canning garden!

Of course I have about 10 varieties of tomatoes.  I like to mix romas (for texture) and heirlooms (for flavor) when I make salsas and sauces.  But it's the herbs that I really get excited about buying.  I like several varieties of basil and cilantro to flavor my tomatoes. 

I'm also going to get several varieties of scented geraniums.  I love rose geranium jelly, and the other flavors like nutmeg and cinnamon are fun to experiment with, too. 

If you want to play with aromatics when you make jam, just tie a clean handful in a bit of muslin, and let it cook with your jams.  It won't hurt it - just flavor it a bit.  And you can keep your sugar and lemon juice (or citric acie) ratio just as you always do. Lemon thyme is a gentle way of adding a soft citrus scent to light butters like pear and peach.

I like to bottle infused vinegars, too.  So I'll be shopping for staples like rosemary, sage, dill, parsley, and chives.  I tilled my garden last week, and the earth is perfect for planting today!  So excited!!!

Why is heat so vital to home canning?  I could lecture for hours about this topic, but I'm just going to make a few strong points here. 

Heat is one factor in killing harmful microorganisms in canning.  The bacteria I worry most about is Clostridium botulinum (botulism).  This bacteria does not need oxygen to survive, so creating vacuum in a canning jar will not kill it.  But it CAN be killed by high heat.  Adding acid is important, too, but that's another subject.

Let's take green beans.  Beans are low acid, meaning the pH is more than 4.6.  Botulism is most prevalent in low acid foods.  To preserve green beans safely, you must can them under a high temperature.  You must use a pressure canner to achieve a high enough temperature.  (Water bath canning is only for highly acidic foods with a pH below 4.6.)

Water you put in a pressure canner boils first, just like a water bath.  As the water boils, it produces steam.  In a water bath, the steam leaks out of the pot.  But in a pressure canner, the steam is not released as easily, and thus pressure builds inside the pot.  As pressure builds, the temperature rises - much higher than in a water bath.  Thus the harmful bacteria is killed.

It is important to process foods in a pressure canner for the number of minutes and the pounds of pressure as listed in your recipe.  For safe canning recipes, here is a great link to the National Center for Home Food Preservation.  Or if you want hands-on canning classes, consider registering for our next class, April 17th and 18th, 6:30 - 9:30 in the evenings. 

Thanks, and have a safe day!

Just a quick note to let everyone know our next canning class was just scheduled. We accept 10 students (it's VERY hands-on, so we must keep it low), and only 8 positions left already.

May 17th and 18th (Monday and Tuesday nights) 6:30 - 9:30.  Cost is $75, and that includes all materials.  First night is waterbath and the second is pressure.  Our address is 1941 Hart Road, Lebanon, Ohio  45036.  I know that most students from far away will not be interested in this class, but I will schedule at least one more weekend, all-day class before August.   I've been teaching all-day Saturday classes all during the winter and spring, but as summer approaches, my weekend time is always taken by farmers markets and children's ball games.  So a week night is your best bet if you can make it.

Equipment is available for purchase at good prices, such as jars, canners, canning tools, etc. 

You can sign up through our website on thursday, or you can reserve today by calling direct 513-932-6470 and leave a clear message.  Or you can email to sonya@jamandjellylady.com and let me know how many student are in your party, phone number, etc. I'll get back to you.  Thanks!

Salsa: the number one rated condiment in America!  And one of the most dangerous to can, if you don't take simple precautions.  I've seen time and again, someone without any canning experience say, "I've got this GREAT salsa recipe.  Friends love it!  I'm gonna can it!"  Typically, those recipes are for "fresh" salsas that you make by simply chopping veggies, add salt, drain and serve.  Those are NOT canned salsa recipes!

Acid is a primary ingredient for most canning recipes.  As a fruit, tomatoes are high-acid, but on the pH scale, they fall almost right on the border of low-acid vegetables.  And in a salsa, you mix them with more low-acid vegetables: onion, peppers, etc.  Which is why a safe canning recipe for salsa should include additional acid: vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice.

To safely can salsa, it's best practice to use a recipe that has been tested by food safety experts.  Ball Blue Books have a nice assortment of recipes, as do many food safety departments of universities and state extension offices.  Never alter their recipes, other than spices, or substituting acids, e.g., switch lemon juice for vinegar.  And make sure to PROCESS each jar in either a water bath or pressure canner, according to directions.

Today I'm canning a new jam to commemorate spring and celebrate the opening of the Cincinnati Fine Food Show, which is part of the 21st Annual Cincinnati Flower Show this weekend in Symmes Township Park.  It's a big event, and usually grabs a few pictures in Better Homes and Gardens.

The new jam is based on strawberries (my favorite spring fruit), and flavored with dandelions and lemon balm.  The dandys and lemon balm give the berries a lighter, lemony, honey flavor. 

Sooo.  I'm announcing a contest, just for today (ends on April 15th, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.)  The quest?  To NAME this jam!  I need a name that is fun and quirky.  Not "Springtime Jam" or "Strawberries with Dandelions and Lemon Balm Jam".  Because of the size of our labels, try to limit the name to 20-25 characters.  Try not to go over 5 words.  2-3 words are probably better.  Our funniest-named jams are Traffic Jam and Sweetheart Spread, just to give you an idea of what I'm looking for.

The WINNER receives a 9 ounce jar of this wonderful new jam, shipped anywhere in the United States!  To enter, just respond to this Local Harvest blog or enter on our Facebook page.  I'll be checking responses all day while I can as fast as my little hands allow! 

Happy Spring and Good Luck!

Starting today, I'm going to write one canning tip per week.  It IS the beginning of canning season, right?  The strawberries are just about ready to burst, herbs are appearing, and canners are pulling equipment from their basements and shining them up for the season!

Tip #1

Pressure canners.  Older pressure canners have a weighted gauge on their lids to help us humans determine inside pressure by listening to the jiggle of the gauge as it was rocked by the steam emitted by the canner.  But newer brands rarely use this method of gauging pressure.

New canners succumb to our society's need for visual reassurance of correct pressure.  They come with a dial gauge that looks similar to a clock face, only with the numbers 5,10, 15, and sometimes 20 printed on them.  The numbers signify pounds of pressure.

At the beginning of each canning season have your dial gauge calibrated by your local extension office.  I've never seen them charge for this service.  You are usually asked to bring in your lid, with the gauge attached.  Why is this chore important?  Pressure causes your gauge to decalibrate a little at a time.  You think you're applying 10 lbs. pressure, but in reality it is only 7.5 lbs. because the dial hasn't been reset.  Dangerous if you are canning low-acid foods like beans or corn!

Had a wonderful time Sat. teaching canning to a super groups of cooks from the Cincy area!  Thanks so much to Carol (the effervescent learner), Peggy (the inquisitive educator), Judy (Carol's generous and sweet friend), and Jennifer (the determined, gentle mother).  You women MADE the class so much better with your undying curiosity and genuine humor!  I truly loved working with you and "handing down" my knowledge to folks I know will treasure and share it!

Here's a tip that we talked a lot about in Saturday's class.  When looking at the mounds of tomatoes your garden produces this summer, don't get the idea of canning them all into salsa (USA's favorite condiment) without using a tested recipe.  I know, I know!  We all have a fresh salsa recipe that all our friends clamor for at cookouts and parties.  Yeah, a quart of it would make an unforgettable Christmas present!  But a fresh salsa recipe is not necessarily a canning recipe!  Safely canned salsa always contains vinegar to heighten the pH level.  Salsa without added vinegar or another acid source is not acidic enough.  Don't endanger your family and friends!  There are plenty of TESTED salsa recipes that you will really enjoy, i.e., The Ball Blue Book, etc.

No more class dates are firm at this point, but I'm planning one more all-day Saturday beginner's class in mid-May - before Sat. farmer's markets start up!  After that, the 6-hour Beginner's Class will be taught mid-week, either all-day or 2 week nights.  

Here are the Master's Class topics I have in mind for this summer:  1) Relishes  2) Curds  3) Pickling Fruit (watermelon rinds, pears, etc.)  4) Chutneys  5) Refresher Canning Course  6) Herbal Vinegars.  If any of these sound interesting or if you have any other topics in mind, please comment here or on our Facebook page (The Jam and Jelly Lady).  

Don't forget that I can't teach during the months of August, September, and December.  The cannery is too busy at those times catching up on the harvest and fulfilling gift orders.  But you can still make an appointment to purchase canning equipment at any time.

Thanks, again, ladies!   Hugs to you all! 

Very busy week in the cannery, preparing for the Cincinnati Fine Food Show, April 17 and 18.  Canned sinfully rich Raspberry Jam today.  As part of the 21st annual Cincinnati Flower Show, the food show will showcase 50+ gourmet food businesses, many of which are agribusinesses that develop their foods around Ohio produce.

Inside the Fine Food Tent, The Jam and Jelly Lady will be sampling (in our famous Butter Tarts, of course) delicious homemade jams such as:

Sweetheart Spread- Strawberries, orange juice, orange zest, and Grand Marnier.  This was just too good to save only for Valentine's Day!  It should be savored every day!

Raspberry Jam - Simple recipe is perfect served over cheesecake, brie, and English muffins.  Yummy!

4th of July Jam - Black raspberries (oooooh!!), strawberries, and blackberries.  Ohio's best berries!

Strawberry Lemonade - Our signature canned drink uses red-ripe Ohio strawberries to create a sinfully sweet concentrate.  Just mix with 7-Up (and a little gin, if you like) and serve over crushed ice for the BEST summer drink ever!

Can't wait for this show!  Hope to you there!

Last canning class of the spring is this Saturday, April 10, 9-3 at our cannery.  As of this posting, I'm using a neighbor's internet to write because our internet has been down for two weeks!! So if you are interested in class, please don't register online, but call 513-932-6470 instead!

 What do we do in class?  It is divided into two sections.  In the morning we work on food safety regulations and water bath canning procedures.  Students can strawberry jam themselves!  

After a quick lunch (provided) we move into pressure canning, in which we learn how to can delicious glazed carrots. 

Jars, pressure canners, water bath canners, and other equipment are available for purchase that day.  It is so much fun networking with other canners and foodies - a hands-on class that is unlike any other cooking class you've attended!

Again, students should register by calling us directly, not online registration, please.

Looking for a new new, luscious dessert to bring to an Easter brunch or buffet?  Take a peek at our new Strawberry Amaretto Trifle on our website, www.jamandjellylady.com.  Very easy recipe - but moist and yummy.

Why easy?  Well, with three very young active kids and one grown active kid (the husband...) I never seem to have enough time to prepare something grandiose like Lemon Meringue Pie or Eclairs (anything with a creamy filling makes me happy!).  But being a cook automatically raises the bar for me, according to Pete's family.  I'm expected to bring something sinfully rich to every family occasion!

Thus, the Trifle. 

No one know it's half-homemade.  I first designed the recipe for demos at foodie shows because I needed something to create in under 15 minutes that highlights JAM as the major flavor component.  If I'm in a big rush, I can make it in under 11 minutes now!

Try it.  You may not have our delicious jam to use as the base, but if you can locate a jam without a lot of pectin in it, you can do this.  We don't use pectin in our cannery, which is the original way jam was made.  Not knockin' pectin - well, maybe I am.  Pectin requires additional sugar to activate, and it "freezes" water into the jam without allowing it to evaporate.  Pectined jam is sort of like Kool Aid to which you've added too much water so you can have enough for the neighborhood kid who just walked in the back door!

Without pectin, the jam is soft and smooth - not gelled.  You can swirl it its intense flavor into hot oatmeal and yummy yogurt, pour it over warm brie and rich cheesecake, or use it as a cake filling (like Trifle!)

Happy Easter and Happy Eating!

Just got back from vacation to find a very nice invitation from Ohio Proud (the state-sponsored collaborative of Ohio-based food producers and manufacturers) to conduct a cooking demo at the 23rd Annual Heartland Cuisine program at the Ohio State Fair.  The demo must use Ohio products (hmmm, think we MIGHT use some JAM!)

Really, if you've never been to the Ohio Food Pavilion at the state fair, you must go.  I'm surprised every year by the sheer variety of foods produced in this state!  Did you know that Ohio has more than six potato chip manufacturers?  Here are some: Ballreich's, Conn's, Frito-Lay, Herr, Jone's, and Shearer's.  Who knew?

Besides the fair, we are preparing for our next big show: the Cincinnati Fine Food Show at Symmes Township Park.  The food show is a subset of the Cincinnati Flower Show, and is on April 17 and 18.  We'll have plenty of favorite springtime jams: Blackberry, Strawberry, and Blueberry.  But also our specialities: Pear Honey, Traffic Jam, Strawberry Lemonade, Cranberry Chutney, and Christmas Jam (combination of blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries). 

In a few days, I'll have our complete line-up of shows for the summer and fall completed.  We'll post them here!  Enjoy this beautiful spring day!

On vacation in Gatlinburg, TN, without children!!!  Owning your own business, like our cannery, makes it difficult to schedules vacations (Pete owns a business, too, in which they design and manufacture industrial digital clocks).  But family is watching our children while Pete and I take the first vacation without kids since our honeymoon!  

 It is surreal, the Great Smokey Mountains.  I was mesmerized by their magic all day yesterday while we hiked in the national park.  Today we woke late (no kids' schedules to worry about!), worked out, and am now sitting near the balcony, sipping hot coffee (the only place we can get cell or wifi connection!) and watching snow fall.  Absolutely heavenly...  

It is very common for folks in privately owned agribusinesses to struggle planning "getaways."  I worked very late every night last week canning enough product for local shops to last till we got home.  There were some special orders for mother's day and Easter to consider.  For 2 months I planned the details of our absence.  

But the results were worth it!  15 minutes after leaving our home, we stopped at a fast-food joint.  As we got out of the car, Pete said, "Wow, I don't have to try to remember everyone's order!"  We  drove for hours without hearing, "Mom - Mom - Mom!" or stopping for potty breaks every 60 miles! 

Well, we're going out now - just the TWO of us - trying to remember what it was like (what it will be like someday be like) to be a couple again.