My desire to revive the lost art of canning

As a kid growing up in the City of Baguio, Philippines, , I enjoyed the bold and sweet flavors of fruit jams such as strawberry, rhubbarb, or mango fruit which was used as spread to bread, other preserves such as pickled vegetables - atchara, or pickled raw mangoes which were creations of my beloved Mom.

While growing up, it was common practice to preserve whatever sweet fruit was in season at home. Mom knew best, she was a Home Economics school Teacher. What she taught in school, was practiced at home. I've seen her do canning sessions in the kitchen but alas I didn't really learn the process or documented it.

My Mom passed away years now and I'd like to revive that art and practice of canning and preserve fruits, make pickles like she did way back when.

As a first project, I tried my hand on Strawberry Jam.

Some day I'll get fancier. I'll probably try othre preserves of canned creations such as atchara or Korean Kimchi cabbage. But for now, I'll start with the basics. Home made strawberry jam will do, and will be a match for my morning pan de sal with and peanut butter to make my favorite PB&J.

Why the sudden interest you might ask? In our household here in California, I've seen our strawberry fruit go to waste for those that are left over strawberries when I fail to use then for Strawberry-Banana smoothie.

Here's the Recipe I got from the book:
Saving The Season, by Kevin West
with some modification.

Basic Strawberry Jam

2 pounds Strawberry
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, deseeded and julienned

Tools needed:

* Four half pint canning jars
* Thongs to pick jars from boiling water.
* Two large pots
* Water to fill pot for boiling water bath

1. Rinse the strawberries and drain water.

2. Cut off the green crown.
Note: Don't throw this portion, instead put cut off strawberry crown with leaves in a blender for a batch of strawberry smoothie.

3. Cut the strawberries into quarters and put in a bowl.



4. Add Sugar to the bowl.



5. Add lemon juice and cut apple strips. Apple is needed because it naturally contains pectin, which is a substance needed to form jel mixture for the Jam. Lemon is needed to increase the ph and therefore acidity of the jam mixture to enable the long shelf life of the jam mixture.



6. Use a masher tool to break down the strawberries and apple in order to acheive a semi liquid mixture.



7. Transfer the raw fruit mixture to a pot, place on stove and cook in semi full fire setting.



8. Constantly stir Jam mixture using a circular motion using a wooden spoon or spatula for about 20 minutes until jam attains a thick consistency.



9. Meanwhile in a separate pot, sterilize canning jars, lids, and bands in boiling water.



10. Drain and dry canning jars, lids, and bands on a dry towel. Meanwhile put a saucer in the freezer. Also, heat a second pot and fill with water for the boiling water bath to be used at a later step.



11. After about 20 minutes, you'll get a thick, and consistent texture strawjerry jam as shown below.



12. To test if the jam is ready, do the cold saucer test. Take the saucer out of the freezer. Place a half teaspoon of strawberry jam on the saucer. Return saucer to the freezer for a minute. Retrieve saucer and run index finger through the jam. If jam doesn't run on the trail then jam is ready for canning as shown below.



13. Place strawberry jam in jar. Leave a quarter inch space at top also called a headspace. Run a bamboo skewer up and down around and on the inner edge of jar to free air pockets.



14. Place lid on the jar followed by screw in the band. Use slight hand tight only.

15. Place jars on second pot for boiling water bath. Start your timer only when water is in a boiling state. Soak jars for 10 minutes.



16. Transfer jars with strawberry jam on a dry towel and cool down.