Although berries can take a few years to get going, the wait is worth it. Once you've developed a berry crop, you can harvest from the start of summer, to well into the fall. There's really nothing better than having several months' worth of fresh-picked berries from a backyard garden.
Not only does the taste surpass that of the store-bought variety, but, you can freeze or preserve your berries for flavorful fruit throughout the winter.
One delicious way to make use of your berries is to make a simple jam. Whether you choose to use blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, or a combination of all three, jam is easy to make and is an instant crowd-pleaser to complement almost any meal.
The berries pictured here - picked fresh from our office garden - are perfect for jam, as the tartness of our blackberries is balanced by the sweet, milder taste of the white raspberries. The red raspberries make for the ideal base flavor.
Here's a simple recipe for making two jars of jam.
Ingredients:
-2 cups crushed berries of your choosing
-1.5 cups sugar
Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, crush your fruit using a masher, and measure out 2 cups of muddled berries.
2. Simmer your berries over medium-heat.
3. Add the sugar, and bring to a boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Continue the process until the jam reaches your desired consistently.
4. Remove from heat and cool off. Refrigerate for 2-3 weeks, or continue with a canning process to keep your jam throughout the colder months.
