delicious
What's delicious around here at the moment:
:: School holiday mornings! No rushing, no "come ON get your shoes on!", no "PUT THAT AWAY WE HAVE TO GO!"; rather, a bit of lego, a cup of tea, a nice slow start, and if you're lucky a bit of a sleep in.
:: Warmer weather. The washing dries on the line in one day not three!
:: (Mostly) chilled out babes. Particularly the smallest one. And who is *touches wood* sleeping very well. (I just totally jinxed it, didn't I.)
:: Family coming to stay for the long weekend.
:: A very favorite old friend getting married on the weekend, to the best person imaginable. Hoorays all round.
:: My book club, Reading Between The Wines, who met here last night. (Hence no post – it was a bit late and I was a bit cactus!) It always leaves me super happy. I love my book club. Last night we did The Elegance of the Hedgehog, so great!
:: Strawberry jam!!!
We went for a bit of an exploratory drive recently, around an area of Sydney I didn't know, and at a funny little fruit barn on the side of the road they were selling five punnets of strawberries for $1. Five! HAD to make jam.
My recipe isn't a recipe, it's more of an idea. I cannot face the gallons of sugar in most jam recipes! I basically weigh my strawberries and add half the weight in sugar.
You stir through the sugar and leave for an hour or so (softens the fruit)…
Then you add a squeeze on lemon juice and cook on low, stirring often, until the fruit dissolves. Spoon into jars.
Dead easy.
The hardest bit of making jam is sterilizing the jars!
I do this by boiling the jars (and lids) in a big pot of water for 10 minutes and then drying them out in the oven for about 10-15 minutes on a low heat (110°C). Handle with tongs by the way!! Super hot!
Strawberry jam spread on a slice of toast at afternoon tea time? Oh yum.
Hope you're having a delicious week.
xxx
Christie - Childhood 101
September 29, 2010 at 10:20 pmIt all certainly sounds delicious! I wish I were brave enough to try making jam 🙁
Fran
September 30, 2010 at 5:20 amLove the name of your book club!
green ink
September 30, 2010 at 7:41 amYour blog is the essence of delicious Fi! 🙂
I liked Elegance of the Hedgehog too, very clever and well written. What is your next one?
innerpickle
September 30, 2010 at 8:38 amThank you, lovely lady! My friend who chose it is from Belgium and so read it in French. Apparently its better in the original (gosh isnt everything more beautiful in French?) Somebody different chooses the book every month, next month my gorgeous next door neighbor has chosen The Tortilla Curtain, T C Boyle. Ever heard of it? Weve done an incredibly broad selection in the last year… Great fun. Are you in a bookclub? Am imagining you in your own Bloomsbury group over there!
katepickle
September 30, 2010 at 2:23 pmah the un-rush of school holidays…. sadly it is all set to end for us way too soon!
Alex Nolan
September 20, 2011 at 12:07 amI was looking through your recipe index and came across this! I am a bit of a jam and chutney making freak and spend many winter weekends making things! I just thought I’d add that when I’m making strawberry jam (and yes, I’m afraid I do add the loads of sugar, as I like it to be preserved for longer!) but I always add a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Brings out the flavour of the strawberries. Not that I can educate you in any way in cooking, just thought I would share my ‘secret’ ingredient! xx
Mel north
March 8, 2013 at 2:24 amJust stumbled across this site – and have spent so long reading it. I love it. Love the simplicity of your recipe instructions.