Take advantage of strawberry season by stocking up on homemade strawberry jam! Marge Braker of food preservation education program Preserved teaches you how to make small batch strawberry jam in this video (with accompanying recipe) from Cooking Up a Story. She demonstrates the process from dumping the strawberries into a pan to sterilizing the jars in boiling water. Watch the video after the jump.
Jennifer Reese of Slate makes some store-bought staples at home to see if the effort is worth the taste and money. Bagels and yogurt get an enthusiastic "make at home," while homemade cream cheese is expensive and just not the same. She also experiments with jam, crackers, and granola. For more details on cost and taste of the homemade versions, read the rest of the article.
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A couple of weeks ago, I stopped by my local farmers' market, as I usually do on Saturday afternoons. I bought an insanely expensive half pound of bacon from a bearded dude who had the kind of sign up I can never resist: "World's Best Bacon." I plunked down my $12, feeling good that I was supporting a pig farmer who treated the pigs and his land right.
A woman came by the stand and said, "It's good, but it's really salty." The bearded pig farmer responded, "Oh, yeah, if it's too salty just soak the bacon in warm water before you cook it."
That should have been the warning sign I needed, but instead I moved on to the next stand at the market, owned by a fruit and vegetable farmer I have known for years. I bought some of his mom's low-sugar raspberry peach preserves after a lengthy discussion with him about the quality of his mom's jams.
Cindy, of Hungry Girl Por Vida, made an earlier version of this jam cake, but was heartbroken after dropping half of it on the floor. Sad faces all around. For her second try, she combined two different recipes and finally got to enjoy what she deserves. With a jeweled swirl of jam and a simple crown of confectioners' sugar, this is a "charming little cake, perfect for sharing or curling up." Looks like second time's the charm.
Lynn of To Short Term Memories made these lovely macarons for herself after teaching a cooking class. One's filled with dulce de leche and the other with kaya, a rich, creamy jam made with coconut milk, eggs and pandan leaf most popular in Singapore and Malaysia and usually served spread on toast. I do not know how I will continue to exist in the world today knowing I cannot have these in my mouth!
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