Making Jam

Last week, the kids and I went strawberry picking. My plan was to make enough jam to last our family a year, until the next picking. I'm pretty frugal (okay, I'm cheap). I have always bought the crappy generic grape jelly, thinking it really didn't matter, and it was lots cheaper than the generic jam. I mean, it's peanut butter and jelly we're talking about here - not escargot. Ummm, fish eggs. But I digress.

I've wanted to go strawberry picking with the kids as a fun activity, but also to get some fresh berries at a good price. There was no way we could do organic, at least not this year. But we did get a TON of berries. Aidan and Wayne each picked some, and Maryam did too. Being only 20 months meant that all the unripe ones went into our basket and the ripe ones into her mouth.


The next day I made my first batch of strawberry jam, just using the recipe on the pectin box. That was a week ago, and the first jar is almost gone already. Yesterday, the boys and I made another batch. I took their picture with the jars we made. I don't think there is any going back to generic jelly. Even my husband (who told me that he hates all the homemade jams he has ever tried), loves it. Of course, he didn't tell me this until after I had made two batches.





Last night I had fresh-baked bread with homemade jam and real butter while playing games with the family. It made me feel so...domestic. Which isn't an entirely bad thing, especially where jam is concerned.