Autumn is traditionally the time of year to make jams, pickles and preserves from the recent harvest so you can have some fruits and veggies to last you through the winter. Well, globalization has made it a lot easier for us to get fresh and preserved fruits and veggies at the supermarket all year round, but there’s still something to be said for making things from scratch and according to the seasons. Mostly, it tastes a lot better that way.With that in mind, I recently tried my hand at making jam for the first time. Thankfully, I had a much more experienced and informed friend to help me out with the process: Casey Holland, farm manager at Red Tractor Farm and local food advocate extraordinaire. She very kindly lent me her knowledge and her kitchen for this endeavor.Being a little overambitious (and, perhaps, a little cheap) about it, I decided to make my jam from the prickly pear fruit that grow in bushels on every street corner at this time of year. Yes, that does mean that I was running around my neighborhood gathering fruit from people’s front yards. And that I got an armful of the little spines that grow in clusters on the purple fruits (if you decide to try this yourself, please wear gloves).
Try This At Home
Try This At Home
This homemade jam makes a great holiday gift for your friends and family, and an even better one if you top it off with some fresh bread and goat cheese to enjoy it with. It tastes good on just about anything grape jam would, and it’s chock-full of vitamin C and fiber, too.For more recipes and tips on home preserving, check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation at nchfp.uga.edu.
