Lost Skills I ~ Strawberry Honey Jam
by fig + fauna farm on 05/04/12
During a stormy afternoon, we hosted our first gathering of Lost Skills - a series of workshops for people that are interested in learning a variety of useful homesteading skills.
We began with a canning demonstration, making a simple Strawberry Honey Jam - a flavorful celebration of Florida's seasonal bounty.There was a consistent nostalgic theme in the conversations that took place between us. We all exchanged stories of our mothers and grandmothers - memories of their relationships with food and homemaking; seemingly, reviving our ancestors along with their practices that we long to learn. Each jar that I open, reminds me of the bonds that can be made with food - even just a simple jar of jam.
/// PHOTOS BY ROSE E MARTIN
Please friends, share with me: What kind of traditional skills would you like to learn and why? Alternatively, what skills have you mastered that aren't commonly used these days?
STRAWBERRY HONEY JAM
Yields 4-5 Cups
You will need:
· 4 cups Strawberries, mashed
· 1 cup of mild Honey (we used raw orange blossom honey)
· 2 tsp. Pomona Pectin powder
· 2 tsp. Pomona Calcium water
Measure mashed strawberries into a heavy bottomed pan and heat on medium-high. Add calcium water and mix well, stirring often. In a separate bowl, stir room temperature honey and pectin powder until thoroughly combined.
When strawberries begin to boil, add the honey/pectin mixture. Stir the ingredients for one minute or until boiling again, and then remove from heat. Fill sterilized canning jars, leaving a one fourth inch space from the top of the jar. Place lids securely and process the jars in a boiling water bath for ten minutes, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Notes: Pomona Pectin is a great choice for preserving if you are concerned with cutting back on sugars. Most pectin's are activated by sugar, whereas Pomona Pectin is activated by the two part calcium process. It allows you to use as much or little sweetener as you would like - which works perfectly with honey. You can find the Pomona Pectin in many health food stores, or online here.
