Strawberry Freezer Jam

It's time for me to be a locavore again. This is the time of year – at least in the mid-west when local strawberries ripen. They began appearing at the Farmer’s Market last week. They’re a little late this year cuz of cool temps and lots of rain which also makes the berries smaller. But the flavor is still intensely, authentically strawberry. Have you noticed that local berries are always bright red to the core, unlike the supermarket varieties which are all like unwrapping a truffle and finding it hollow?

Last Saturday I made a double batch of freezer jam. Honest, you should try it yourself. Nothing else captures summer like the flavor of fresh strawberries. All winter, if you’re not such a pig you devour it in days rather than months – you can take small jars out of the freezer and spoon it on yogurt, toast, ice cream, pancakes. Anything is better with fresh strawberry jam. Best of all it’s easy. Anyone, even a kitchen idiot can make this. And if you’re into this: it impresses the heck out of everyone else. People think I’m really talented and clever and I’m not even going to charge you for this secret.

First, you need jars. Go to the store and buy a box with a dozen small Mason jars – half-pint size (or so).  Or if you’ve been saving, for who knows why, small glass jars – especially the kind with a built-in seal in the cap, like ones that come on artichoke hearts – recycle them now.

For one double-batch of jam you will need:

Jars

Ten-pound bag of sugar. (shut-up. It’s for a good cause.)

2-3 lemons

Box of Certo (brand) liquid fruit pectin

3 quarts fresh strawberries from a local food source!

When everything is gathered. Just follow the recipe that comes in the box for easy freezer jam.

Do you think I could get the slide show posted here? On this post? Never, speaking of idiots. So look at previous post. I don't know what's with the turquoise thumb, didn't think of it at the time. At least one inaccuracy: I said what, I can't even remember! I think I said you need four quarts of strawberries but three will do, if that.