Raspberry Jam

My family loves jam...any kind of jam but especially raspberry jam. And raspberry jam is the easiest jam to make. I make sure I get a lot of fresh berries into the freezer during July and then I can make it throughout the year. I've started to add a small ratio of frozen blueberries-Raspberry Blues I call this jam- which I also get in summer and freeze. Most people seem to enjoy receiving some of this jam from time to time. I've started using smaller jars in order to keep up. After Daniel finished with baby food jars last year, Jenn kept many for me and I started using these jars and found them to be great for jam. Way too small for anything but a couple of pieces of toast for sure but a nice treat just the same. Now he's long out of baby food and I've used up the last of my neat little jars with this batch of jam.

Yesterday I sterilized jars -different sizes...one a quart size especially prepared for Al for his unrestricted use- and lids, then made jam from a very simple recipe which my mother used for every kind of jam.

Recipe:
1:1 Ratio: 1 part prepared fruit to an equal part of sugar (no pectin is required)

In very large heavy pot thaw raspberries on very low heat. (I measure the berries after they are thawed and have bubbled somewhat. The fruit can be left on the lowest heat without much attention once the juices have started to flow)

Add some frozen blueberries but only about a quarter as many as raspberries or even less depending on how you like the ratio.

After everything has come to a gentle bubble - adjusting heat accordingly - I pour the mixture into my 8 cup measuring cup. (I've found any quantity greater than this doesn't let the jam gel as nicely as if the batch is no more than eight cups.) From this you can see the amount of fruit you have. Add the same amount of sugar and return to stove with the heat on high. Now the jam has to come to a rolling boil but make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom. Once it's boiling hard - only a minute or two - reduce heat to low and boil gently for 4 more minutes. Now your quantity has increased. Pour hot jam immediately into measuring cup in order to fill clean, hot jars almost to the top. Make sure the lip of the jar is clean before sealing.

While the jam is boiling I place all the lids into a small pot of boiling water to sterilize. The jars are waiting in the sink, clean and filled with boiling water from the kettle. When everything's ready, empty the jars and set them upside down on a clean towel beside the sink. They're ready to go. I let the finished jars sit on the counter for 24 hours to gel and then refrigerate them. This morning I labelled and wrapped them in fancy cellophane ready to share with someone during this festive season.