The Cottage Smallholder

Thanks
I have to confess when making strawberry or raspberry I add some apple. No one has noticed yet!

Got 5 punnets of strawberries today at half price, so going to make some jam. Not sure whether to have a go at this recipe or stick to my balsamic version. Just chopped them up, they are a bit pasty looking, not nearly as gorgeous as the few I've hadfrom our garden, but hey ho, they'll still make jam.

Got another few hours out in the fields digging out ragwort before I make a start of the cooking of the jam, so will update later

i get all the good jobs...well to be fair, both Mike & I were doing it, and Jessie was chasing hares all afternoon.

The ragwort is just coming in to flower, so we need to tackle it now, it really annoys me how the council allow it to flower on roadsides, they are not supposed to let it get to seed point, we work so hrd to try and keep our fields clear of it and then we see it on roadsides and field edges  and  and

To keep on topic, 16 Jars of strawberry jam made, got three fairs this weekend so hoping to sell lots. Made the balsamic version in the end but with a nod to simplicity and added powdered pectin, have to admit it was brill, from first turning cooker on, it was in the jars within 30 mins.

Ooh you've gottotry it Joanna, you only need about a tablespoon in 1kg ofstrawberries, itjust seems to bring out the flavour more...might be all in my head, but always do it now. 

I use the same amount of sugar but boil for less time. I do this with cherries, damsons, raspberries and blackcurrants. I use it as a sauce with ice cream, yogurt etc. it is bit hit and miss so sometimes I get jam and sometimes sauce but both are welcome.

Kaye...I've bought some powdered pectin as a safety measure for my next batch of strawb jam, never been keen to use it before, but have experimented with a batch and decided it's a bit of a failsafe. You could try that. I agree though, it's probably the water content.