Summer-berry jam

 It's actually blackberry jam, but since its season starts in the summer, I call it summer-berry. These blackberries are one hundred percent organic, free of pesticides or any harmful chemical. That is because it is homegrown right in my garden. I just adore the look of these tiny little berries. As a matter of fact, I like to look at them and pick them more than I'd like to eat them.

I remember when I first got a branch of this blackberry from a close friend of mine 8-9 years ago, I'd never thought that it would grow into this ginormous bush of berry that I have today in my backyard. It took more than a year for it to rejuvenate after enduring the first harsh summer. At first, I thought it would not survive the heat. But little did I know, the little branch turned itself to a beautiful bush with hundreds of little blackberries every summer.

We have this blackberry for so many years since we first started our little family here, but this is actually the very first year that I decided to make blackberry jam from it. My oldest son loves to eat them raw, but they soon become more abundant a lot faster than he could eat them. My husband gave me an idea of making them into preserve so we can enjoy it longer. As for me, mashing it with sugar and making ice tea from it will also be a great way to use up your berries and to quench your thirst in a hot summer day.

 Ingredient:

1. 4 cups of blackberry

2. 3 to 3.5 cups of sugar (depend on how sweet you like your jam to be)

In a large bowl, mash the blackberries until all the juices come out. Transfer into a medium pot, add in sugar and simmer the mixture down until the jam thicken slightly (about 20-30 minutes)

While waiting for the jam to be cooked down, you can sterilize the jars by dunking it in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Remove the jars and dry them on the rack until ready to use. 

After canning the preserve, you can keep them in the fridge for several months. 

Note: some people also use pectin to thicken the preserve, but I like my all natural so I omitted it. The result is still satisfactory and the jam is delicious!

 

These cute pink blackberries will turn black once ripen.