Jyrup

After a scarring documentary regarding processed food, Ryan and I are doing our best to eat fresh fruit and vegetables, as noted with our baby garden (it looks like a bush from far away – it has gone crazy!), and smoothies to substitute the ice cream cravings.  But summer always reminds me of freezer jams, canned fruit and pickled veggies.  I wanted to give it a try!  So, last weekend, my dear friend Elora and I picked a couple buckets of cherries, pitted them with our bare fingers, carefully pureed them and added pectin and sugar.

We learned our lesson…follow the pectin directions to the T!  Instead of delicious, thick and creamy jam, we ended up with more of a Jyrup- half syrup, half jam.  Mostly syrup.  But, being that it was our first time, we were still happy with our homemaking efforts. 

With a freezer full of jam I was eager to share with neighbors and friends.  Ryan did the taste test and gave me the “ok”, so I shared some jam with a neighbor and my aunt.  I felt so satisfied with my homemade spread.  However…I regret to say and am embarrassed to admit that this morning I opened the jam to top my toast and it smelled (and looked) yucky.  I sure hope my “gifts” didn’t backfire on any tummies.     

P.S. Ryan and I just realized there is an apple tree growing in our backyard with baby apples already forming!  I will be sure to blog about my applesauce-making efforts as well, and I will do my best to actually follow the recipe :)