Fresh Strawberry Jam

Summer is the the time to capture the beauty and essence of the north state, and what better way than to make some fresh strawberry jam? One of my favorite sights here in Redding is the arrival of the little strawberry stands that crop up. Making fresh jam is a fun activity that even the kids can participate in. Have the kids hull the berries and then let them go to town mashing them up! Bake a fresh loaf of bread or simple biscuits, add a dollop of your homemade jam and enjoy!

Strawberry Jam

Place the strawberries in a medium saucepan. Lightly crush with a potato masher or fork. Simmer over a low heat for 8-10 minutes. Add sugar and lemon juice, continue to simmer until the sugar dissolves. Bring the berries to a boil, making sure to keep stirring to assure that you don’t scorch the berries. Skim off any foam that appears. Continue to boil for about 15 minutes or until a spoonful of the jam looks set when dropped on a plate. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the jam. Jam freezes great, or will last in the refrigerator about two weeks. This is also an ideal recipe to use for canning.

Enjoy!

Andrea Charroin was a trained baker and pastry chef in San Francisco before she and her family moved to Redding 11 years ago. After falling in love with Redding’s downtown, Andrea and husband Westley opened a little pastry shop, Rene-Joule Patisserie, across from the Cascade Theatre. For the three years Rene-Joule was in business, it was renowned for making everything from scratch, using the best ingredients and keeping with a seasonal menu. To this day, Andrea is asked about her Marathon Bars, Orange Twists and sourdough bread.

Copyright 2009 Andrea R. Charroin. Visit her blog at bakerslove.typepad.com