Tuesday, May 13, 2014

It's Strawberry Season


 While there are so many things I look forward to each spring and summer, local berries certainly make the top of the list.  Right now it's strawberry season here, and we're lucky to have a few strawberry farmers nearby.  You really can't even compare a locally grown strawberry to what you can buy at the grocery store - they are so delicious. 


(The chickens love it when I hull the strawberries!)


 After we enjoyed a few quarts of berries, I asked my husband to pick up a bucket when he had to run into town on an errand. I could hardly wait to get in the kitchen and experiment with some new strawberry jam recipes, all using the pectin naturally found in the fruit.




 The strawberry-cherry combination was pretty good...


But we all agreed the black pepper and balsamic vinegar version is possibly the best jam we have ever had.  (A combination I was very skeptical about!)


 For Mother's Day, we enjoyed a simple dessert of ice cream, sliced strawberries and a chocolate chip cookie - so perfectly good!  

And when strawberry season ends, I'm so glad we can look forward to blueberries in June, blackberries in July...

Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! 

19 comments:

  1. I would love to try your recipes! Can you share them?

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    1. The strawberry-cherry jam recipe came from the cookbook The Art of Preserving (http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Preserving-Rick-Field/dp/1616283831/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399999730&sr=8-1&keywords=the+art+of+preserving). I might be able to share the other, but I may have to make another batch to remember exactly how I did it. :-)

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  2. What is it about jars of homemade jam that are SO beautiful, like art! Our strawberry season gets underway in a couple of week. Can't wait! Oh, and our whole family gathered at my 92 year old mother's house for Mother's Day. It was a great day!

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    1. That sounds like such a wonderful Mother's Day!

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  3. I second the request on the Strawberry Balsamic recipe!

    Shar

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    1. Me too! Recipe please.
      And, I love those little jam jars. Oh, I'm such a sucker for neat jars. Old and new alike.

      ~Bevy

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    2. Ball is making such cute jars... just perfect for jam!

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  4. I'd love to know these jam recipes!

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  5. I absolutely love strawberries. Your jam looks delicious. Looks like a great treat for Mother's Day.

    Judy

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  6. I have to say Jam is one of my favorite things to eat in the world Yum. Have some every day for lunch.
    Love this. Too yummy for words.
    xoxo
    Lisa

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    1. I seriously kept wanting to just reach in the fridge and eat the jam plain! ;-)

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  7. my husband and i love strawberries and balsamic vinegar as a dessert...the jam sounds amazing. definitely looking forward to that recipe! :)

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  9. I would be interested in your Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. It looks like it has just the right amount of puffiness!

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    1. Hi Melissa - here is a link to the chocolate chip cookie recipe I use. It's our favorite! http://pamelasalzman.com/a-more-healthful-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/

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  10. I love strawberry jam so much. It reminds me of my childhood :)
    Carpet Cleaners Islington

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  11. I have never heard of strawberries with balsamic vinegar. Please post the recipe as it sounds like something I would like to try. And I agree with Ball having the cutest jars out lately, but I have an addiction to jars anyway :)

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  12. Even though our local strawberries aren't in yet, we've been getting some good ones at the market. We've been luxuriating in romaine, strawberry, and mandarin salads. Yum! Your jam looks good. My mother never added any gelling agents to her preserves or jellies either. Just the fruit, juice and sugar.

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  13. Those strawberries look sooo good. I just bought a pack of huge, juicy, organic ones from my local supermarket, but I know nothing beats buying them fresh and locally grown. Do you have a recipe you can share for the jam with the balsamic vinegar and pepper? Thank you!

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