Last week we packed up the last of the canning equipment and stored it away in the basement, where it will sit until needed next June. That is what we thought. But a little bit of good luck had us fetching the steam canner, and some canning jars, to the kitchen.
Ever since I was a small child I have loved Black Currant Jam. I prefer it to any other jam, even though Orange Marmalade comes in at a close second.
Since moving to Mist Cottage I’ve kept an eye open to purchase black currant plants, and have not bumped into any yet. Nor has a nearby farm that grows and sells them been discovered.
Yesterday we took an excursion to a local discount store, that resells frozen ends-of-line, or overstocked frozen foods from retailers. A frozen 1 kg tub of black current puree was on sale for $9.99. One tub was purchased, just to determine the quality of the item.
The tub was thawed in the refrigerator overnight, and the contents became four 500 ml jars of Black Currant Jam this morning. Food does not get any better than this!
The frozen product was Frozen Fruit Purees by Les vergers Boiron.
Who knew!
Well, some people obviously knew about this product, but I was not one of them.
The puree was wonderful, perfect in fact. The jam is so good that Attila and I licked the spoons, the spatulas, the funnel, the pot…
Our homemade Black Currant Jam is one third of the price of the cheapest equivalent on the shelves at NoFrills, and/or Walmart, and/or Amazon. So, even if we had paid full price for the product, which is about three times what we paid, it would be the same price as the cheapest ready made Black Currant Jam we could find. Also, the only ingredients in our Black Currant Jam are black currants, cane sugar (sucrose), freshly squeezed lemon juice, and lemon zest, no preservatives, no glucose/fructose, no corn syrup.
After taking the jars of Black Currant Jam out of the steam canner, we donned our jackets, jumped in the car, headed for the discount store, and bought the last four 1 kg tubs of frozen black currant puree. What a find! We bought the cherry, the lemon, and the lime as well, to give those a try.
I am very grateful that we are in a financial position to buy in bulk when these opportunities come up.
Now to make some whole wheat tea biscuits, there is nothing quite like a hot biscuit topped with a little bit of jam.
Worldly
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Date: 2:00 PM EDT Friday 25 October 2024
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Quote
“The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.”
James Branch Cabell
1879 – 1958
I don’t think I fit into the “ists”!
That sounds wonderful! The lemon reminded me of lemon curd. Yum!
You remind of a recent hunt I had that didn’t turn out nearly as well as your story. I was looking for apple butter and it didn’t turn out well. Nothing in the grocery stores, not even when I searched Walmart and let it look at outside vendors. I may be able to find it though, if we drive to the Wellsley apple butter store over near Waterloo, though that’s about an hour’s drive.
I wanted to make a sandwich I had in a Massachusett’s restaurant some years ago. On one slice of bread a light amount of butter, then apple butter, then sliced ham, and then thin slices of apple. Yum! So good!
I love lemon curd, but if I make it I will eat it until it is gone! Irresistible.
Apple butter, another lovely treat.
We have a volunteer apple tree in the front yard. Actually, I suggested we tear it out before I knew what it was. This year it yielded crabapples. We cut the blossom ends off, removed the stem, cut the crabapples in half, then put them in a crockpot with 1/4 cup of water, then stewed it for a few hours on high until the apples were mush. We then strained out the seeds and skins with a manual food mill (a sieve would probably work). The next step was to put the apple sauce back into the crock pot with an equal amount of sugar, some cinnamon to taste, and wee bit of cloves to taste. We let that simmer in the crockpot for a few hours with the lid angled to let the steam out, and left it until it turned glossy. It is like apple candy! I didn’t can it, it is in the refrigerator.
That sandwich sounds delicious!!
I like your comment on the quote, and agree. That jam does sound tasty! Enjoy!
I love lemon curd too. One brand I like is Dickinson’s but it’s often out of stock at my grocery store. It has such a pure taste! I don’t think I ever had black currant jam. I’ll have to look for it.
Joan, categories aren’t always useful, particularly when they apply to humans, we vary so very much. The jam is wonderful, a real treat, and I have to prevent myself from overindulging!
Sandy, my favourite Black Currant Jams are Wilkin’s & Sons, and Mackays Scottish Blackcurrant Preserve, or any of the products made in the UK. But the North American versions are also very good.
Lemon Curd is wonderful!