Cookin' With Farmer Bob: Homemade Jam From Frozen Raspberries

Farmer Bob's Raspberry Jam. Photos by Sue Frause.

Farmer Bob was full speed ahead in the kitchen on Sunday. With garden planting happening sometime this week (weather gods permitting), it was time to clean out the freezer one more time. Last summer, he froze a large amount of raspberries, strawberries and peaches from our garden. Although I use them throughout the year for smoothies, there were plenty that needed transforming. He'd already made a large batch of strawberry jam in November for Christmas gifts, and now it was raspberry's turn. 

I've always though of jam making as a summer task, maybe 'cuz my mom was a summer jam maker. That's when the familiar big blue and white enamel pot would make its annual appearance, the Ball jars would be hauled up from the basement, and soon our kitchen would turn all steamy and sweet.  

But jam making isn't limited to hot summer days. Bob is a fan of cooked jam more than freezer jam, so he headed to Sebo's to buy small glass jars. They were for a special event (it's a surprise, I'll do the reveal in May), and he needed at least six-dozen, four-ounce jelly jars. Fortunately, Sebo's had plenty in stock, and the jam making commenced. Bob uses the recipe from the SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin box. I had some jam this morning on my English muffin, along with one of our farm fresh eggs. Earth Day never tasted so good!