We have had a most grueling weekend here at the 13desserts, and I am happy to be back. Twin2 suffered a fairly hefty bump on the head, and so I had to spend 48h with him at the hospital as he was under observation. It was…not superfun. Hospitals make me really unhappy. I feel lonely there, and sick and just plain worried and always uninformed. It was good that we went however, and got medical proof that he was OK. Also, my sister is luckily a doctor as well as a sister, and gives us the soundest of advice. Also I can call my parents blubbering, and they will listen and pretend that they are not worried, just so I can calm down. And we have friends who are ready to drop everything at 11pm to come and watch our children so we can go to the hospital – I am talking to you I and J!
But most luckily of all, we have resilient and patient children. And good doctors. Anyway, twin2 is fine and I am watching him at home today. And to make up for the stress and worry of the weekend, I made something to remind me of my mother (and her mother): something that I never thought I could do. I made jam.
And can I just say wow? It’s so easy! Really, scarily easy! 10 min and you’ve got enough jam for — oh wait, that’s a bad calculation, since we seem to be going through a big pot of jam / a week– well it makes lots of jam. It makes your house smell delicious and homey, and in my case, it makes me feel close to my mother.
I made mine with a bit of ginger, because of the layer cake I made last week that had a raspberry-ginger-preserve filling. There is only a hint of ginger in this recipe, a little bit of heat, and it’s really really nice, but you can totally skip it if it’s too froufrou for you*. I just found out, speaking of Froufrou, that my mother made jam this weekend with cherries and rosemary. And word is, it’s delicious.
Strawberry-Ginger-Jam
prep time: 10 min, makes about 4 340ml jars (regular jar size)
one big pot and several jars with tight fitting lids
1 kg strawberries, washed and hulled
1 kg jam or preserving sugar 1:1**
1,5 cm long piece of ginger, peeled
Cut the strawberries in quarters into a big pot. Grate the ginger into the pot. Mix to combine. Add the preserving sugar and mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring. Boil under high heat for 4 minutes (or according to package instructions) while continuously stirring and making sure not to get burned. Turn off the heat and transfer into the clean jars using a ladle. Close the lids tight and let it cool.
Keeps for up to four months in a cool dark place!
*now that’s a good band name, no? The Too Froufrou For You’s?
** This type of preserving sugar is fairly commmon in Europe, it has pectin and citric acid in it to help the gelification of the fruit sugars along. The package didn’t disclose a percentage of ingredients, so email me if you have any questions about that and I will try to answer them. Or maybe my mother will?
13desserts 
July 21, 2008 at 4:25 pm |
ouaouh! la confiture, the jam, die Marmelade…
En plus de la confiture de cerises au romarin – recette inspirée de Elle à table, mais évidemment largement améliorée par la cuisson avec romarin – j’ai fait, avec les cerises qui restaient, et de la pâte à Strudel rapportée de Vienne, Autriche, par mon (ex-)étudiant préféré (merci Thomas), un Strudel aux cerises qui était sensationnel.
Des étagères, j’ai ramassé un fond de sachet de biscuits roses de Reims avec env. 10 cuillérées de poudre, rose, donc, un fond de bocal de Semmelbrösel, une pincée mini-micro de cannelle, un fond de poudre de noisettes – pas vraiment encore rances, mais presque, depuis Noel…, et une cuillérée à soupe rase de sucre gélifiant pour diabétiques (pourquoi j’avais ce sachet, mystère…) et j’ai ajouté tout ça aux cerises dénoyautées – Roulez jeunesse dans la pâte à Strudel, et une petite demi-heure au four à 175°. Un bol de crème fouettée sans sucre. C’était fabulous, au point que les becs non sucrés d’Ulrike et Jacob en ont repris deux fois. A refaire. Dommage que je n’aie plus de pâte à Strudel, et que les cerises soient si terriblement chères…
July 21, 2008 at 5:33 pm |
Cuisine du placard, espoir! ca sonne fabulous et je me demande si le paquet de sucre pour diabetique ne serait pas un fehlkauf typique de ma GM?
July 22, 2008 at 7:46 am |
Malheureusement, je n’ai rien vu ni goûté de ce Strudel fait avec le Strudelteig original que j’avais rapporté 😉
C’est pour la prochaine fois?
Thomas