Summer Jam Session

How fun is it to trek down to the roadside berry farms and pick out some luscious fruit?! I love making jam in the summer and then having it fresh in the refrigerator for all kinds of use throughout the year. The additional can be frozen and pulled out as needed. I am grateful to my generous mother-in-love for first introducing me to this kitchen art form and teaching me the basics. This recipe is fabulous. Unlike most recipes, it does not call for the addition of pectin. This means a little more attention to detail while cooking, but the result is a gorgeously colorful product that explodes with just the right blend of tarty sweetness and consistency. In the spirit of reuse and recycle, I have found that old containers from Talenti Gelato work wonderfully, as opposed to buying new glass jars, but either is suitable. Just make sure to let the jam cool down before pouring into the plastic jars or they will melt. Makes for a lovely summer gift idea as well.  
Buon Appetito ~ Sarah

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 flat red raspberries {roughly 2 1/2 lbs}
• 2 pounds white cane sugar {adjust according to your preference in the tart vs sweet scale}

DIRECTIONS

• 1. Place a saucer and five metal teaspoons in a flat place in your freezer for testing the jam later. We enjoy our jam with the natural seeds. However, if you prefer a seedless jam, just have ready a medium-mesh strainer or chinois suspended over a heatproof bowl.
• 2. Combine the berries and sugar in an 11- or 12-quart copper preserving pan or a wide nonreactive pot. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring and mashing constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the juice begins to run from the berries. As soon as the sugar dissolves, increase the heat to high. Continue to cook, stirring very frequently, until the mixture boils. Boil the mixture vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Best to begin testing for doneness after 10 minutes.
• 3. To test for doneness, remove the pan from the heat and carefully transfer a scant half teaspoonful of jam to one of your frozen spoons. Return the spoon to the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove and carefully feel the underside of the spoon. It should be neither warm nor cold; if still warm, return it to the freezer for a moment. Tilt the spoon vertically to see whether the jam runs; if the jam does not run, and if it has thickened to a near-jelly consistency, it is done. If the jam runs, return the pan to the stove and cook the mixture for another few minutes, stirring and testing again as many times as needed.
• 4. Using a stainless-steel spoon, skim any remaining foam from the surface of the preserve. If you don’t mind seeds in your jam, skip ahead to step 5. If you prefer seedless jam, quickly transfer the jam to the mesh strainer and force as much of the preserve as possible through it by pressing on it with the back of the spoon. Discard the seeds. Skim any foam that lingers on the surface of the strained jam.
• 5. Pour the jam into sterilized jars and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.