blueberry lime
First the recipe because those blogs who have you scroll for miles drive me nuts!
Blueberry Lime Jam form Balls Blue Book of Preserving
Ingredients
4 1/2 c blueberries
5 c sugar (i used 4 cups)
1 box fruit pectin, powdered
1/3 c lime juice (double it)
1 Tbsp grated lime peel (double or triple it)
Directions
1. Gather your ingredients.
2. Crush blueberries one layer at a time in a deep pot or bowl which ever you prefer. Combine crushed blueberries and classic pectin in a large pot Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. (for a quick fix I just grind everything up in the blender and it I want more chunk to the jam I add in some whole berries to break down here in the process)
3. Add your sugar, stirring till dissolved. Stir in lime peel and lime juice. Return to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam is necessary. (this is hot! this is messy! this will stain everything with splatters so use a deep pot)
4. Ladle hot jam into your hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe of the top of your jars with a hot wet towel and place the lids and top and tighten. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. (or if you are lazy like me after cleaning off hot jar screw on lid and set jar upside down for 2 hours-overnight then flip back up and immediately consume any jams that did not seal-they make a bonky noise)
The story
Every July my mom and I meet in a very hot kitchen over a pile of fruit. Hot is relative being that this is Seattle area but without air conditioning, the idea of spending the next day or two over a boiling vat of molten fruit is made of equal parts glee and resignation.
This recipe came to us from the much used and abused Blue Ball Book of Preserving (and Canning is also maybe in the title)
It’s old and worn and sticky where molten jam or spilled relishes have escaped their confines and made pages stick to each other. This book is well used. This book would be a grimoire if we only remembered to write in it, add to it and breather life into it. For now it remains the trusty launching point of preservation of garden bounty.
My parents had moved to the country several years and immediately installed blueberry bushes and now here we were with an overabundance of berries. The freezer was full, the refrigerator was full, our bellies were full and every morning we went out and dutifully picked one or two buckets more.
We found this recipe and thought it sounded intriguing, I mean who can go wrong with lime or blueberry? Little did we know how right this jam was. Many years later we still meet at my mom’s house to dutifully make this jam, for it has now become a staple in the homes of our friends, family, and clients.
The surprise of the first batch was magical.
The brightness of the lime.
The color and sweetness of the blueberries.
It was perfection.
In January after 30 plus days without sun, this jam is a sensorial delight that brings you right back to days of harvest and heat.
As I dutifully stir the boiling jam in the heat of the day, I delight in the simplicity of a task well done. I feel connected to my female ancestors who also stood over pots of boiling foods or rows of drying things all intended to help their family make it through the dark and cold days to come, to save a little money, or simply to pass the bounty along.
There is something magical and mysterious about this work. The potential to stir a bit of your essence from the time into the pot. To infuse the berries with a little bit of extra tenderness and love. To stir in a secret, or a joke, or some healing. No wonder people love jam. It contains the secrets whispered over it.
As the years have passed I have seen my mom and my own hands age, now etched deeper with lines and more brown spots. Neither one of us can stand as long without our low backs protesting and more ice tea is consumed instead of attempting just one more flavor of jam or a batch of green beans. Life is slower. But the simple intimacies continue. Trivial conversations touch briefly on sadness or fears and then return to the mundane. This dance of vulnerability between women is mystical and delicate, touching into a connected state and retreating back to safe ground. This is life. This is a life well-lived.
A simple blueberry.
A simple lime.
Sugar and time.
tasting notes
spread liberally on buttered toast
pair with goat cheese, cream cheese, mascarpone cheese on crackers or bread
use as a sauce over chicken or pork
add to smoothie
plop it on ice cream, yogurts, chia pudding
layer it in a trifle or jam tart
make a vinaigrette for salad by adding avocado oil and a touch of balsamic or cider vinegar to 1-2Tablespoons jam and shake
