Here’s Why You Should Make Jam, Like, Right Now
It’s easier than you think
You should be making jam. Like right now. For three reasons: 1) The insanely great summer fruit that you use to make homemade jam is about to go away. For a while. Get some before it’s too late. 2) This is not old-fashioned jam we’re talking about, the kind that requires jars, tongs, steam, and almost guaranteed injuries. No, this is the easy kind; the kind that cooks on your stove for no more than 45 minutes and lasts in your fridge for no less than a week (or in your freezer for much longer). 3) It’s so damn good!
The recipe here calls for a pound of fruit, any fruit, but this time of year I’d set my sights on things like peaches, plums, cherries, or the last of summer’s berries. Other than fruit, you don’t need much; just some sugar to sweeten and thicken it, and a few tablespoons of liquid, citrus juice, vinegar, hooch, whatever strikes your fancy. Once the jam is done cooking, it may look a little thin, but just remember that it will thicken in the fridge as it cools. For a thicker version (good for fruits that are low in pectin, like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and peaches), add a tablespoon of pectin powder. OK, I’m going to cut myself off; the longer you spend reading this the less time you spend making jam. Get to it.
