Fruit Challenge #4: JAM?

If you recall, in my very first post on this blog I mentioned the raspberry jam my mom regularly made when I was growing up.  Boy and I woke up this morning and I promptly announced that I needed a dose of country - what can I say, sometimes the fish needs a quick dip back in the water.  What do you do in the country in mid-August?  Why, you pick-your-own raspberries, of course!  And off to Sunshine Farms we went!

Outings like this make me think of a book I read as a child... The City Mouse and the Country Mouse.  Actually, it is a pretty accurate depiction of boy's and my relationship.  I dragged boy to the raspberry patch, iced coffee in hand, and gave him a lesson on berry pickin'.  It started out a little slow, but he got the hang of it and was rocking after a while.  We quickly filled the two containers we ventured out with and I went back up to the shop to grab two more.

It wasn't long before we were waltzing out of there 5.5 pounds of raspberries richer and each probably about a pound heavier.

I hadn't told my mom that I was going to attempt her jam, but let me tell you, that woman has a 6th sense.  We hadn't even pulled out of the parking lot to head home when her ears must have started burning because she called and asked what we were up to.  "Oh, funny you should call mom, I was just going to call you and ask you what I needed to buy to make jam." (Mom is used to these I-am-panicking-in-the-supermarket-again-what-goes-in-this-recipe-of-yours phone calls by now as she gets them fairly frequently.)  My mom made "freezer jam" instead of the normal, more labor intensive kind.  Turns out freezer jam is pretty easy.  Requires three ingredients - berries, sugar, and pectin - some fierce stirring, and about 25 minutes of your day.

First step: Use a potato masher to mash 4 cups of berries and set aside in a large bowl.

Step 2: Mix sugar, pectin, and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and cook for one minute.

Step 3: Pour sugar over berry mash and mix thoroughly.

Step 4: Once mixed, pour into jars and leave 1/2 inch of space to the top to allow for expansion during freezing.

Step 6: Let these little buggers sit for 24 hours to set up.  Put in freezer for up to a year, or refrigerate for 4 weeks (to eat, obvi).

I don't think I had store-bought jam until I was about 16 years old and, after boy and I tried this jam, I might not have it for another 16 years.  As you can see, we ended up with about 14 jars of jam, but I have to say we are undecided on whether or not we are going to share.  :)

Bribes welcome.