Raspberries and more

The  berry abundance led me to make some gorgeous raspberry jam, a favourite in our family. Then one thing turned into another. The little bit of jam that would not fit in a jar got sieved for a glaze and delving into my old cook books I made a recipe I had forgotten. The tart was scoffed by the family in seconds flat - no left overs, Oh I had forgotten how delicious it was.

 As the tart uses egg yolks I had some egg whites left over, so of course I made meringues. It was a busy afternoon in the kitchen but what a great result, Jam, Tart and Meringues.

Home-made Raspberry Jam and scones.

Home made raspberry jam - made on the day the raspberries were picked. So fresh, red and delicious. We came home from camping early, as did a lot of people in New Zealand, due to bad weather. I rushed to pick the berries so they would not rot from the rain. My recipe is so quick and easy. In the jars and finished within 15 minutes.

Then the next day after church I made a batch of scones and we had the luscious jam with scones and cream. Delicious.

Spring produce

I could not resist a photo of the produce I picked from the garden on Monday after the wedding. What I had not included in the photo was the strawberries that headed the way of my mouth.

So the night of the Christchurch bloggers get together I turned most of the raspberries into Jam as the boys told me that they had just had enough!! Already, so early in the season. With the veges I made a gorgeous fish pie and did not tell the boys that I sneaked in some broad beans.

At the bloggers get together my Secret Santa had me picked - I got a book of old fashioned traditional recipes from the southern USA and some absolutely gorgeous lace and ribbon peeking out from a Kete.
How lucky am I! My santa could not have picked better for me.

I link to these places

Decadent ways to eat fresh Raspberry Jam

Eli's job today was to make Raspberry Jam. He followed my recipe as it is super quick and always works.
Our local fruit stall is selling the frozen berries cheap. $10 for 1.5kg. As raspberry jam is the one that is consumed the fastest here, we run out very quickly.

Although the raspberries are now setting on the canes I thought this would give us a pre season boost. Oh and it is sooooooo yummy.

It made six 375g jars and there was a little leftover. The boys were just eating it straight from the pot. So I got a little bit of vanilla icecream in a bowl and poured the hot jam over it. What a treat (after all it is the school holidays).

I link to these places, and this recipe idea will link up with Anne at Domesblissity.

Gorgeous simple raspberry jam

Well inspite of all the Mayhem going on around here, some things just don't stop. The major thing that you cannot halt unless you are God is the garden growing. I have cauliflowers being prolific, strawberries and raspberries almost falling off their plants. And today I think we are going to have to have a good pick of the blackcurrants.

Anyway this week as you know I have had no stove, no washing machine, no kitchen at times while the floor is drying but I had raspberries. Now this could have all been a step too far, I fluctuated between making jam and putting the raspberries in the freezer. So I decided to make it- at least it would not be a job I had to do later.

put bottles in boiling water to sterilise

Weigh your raspberries

Put raspberries in pot and put in the same weight in sugar. Warm at low temperature until the sugar is dissolved.  Bring to the boil and as soon as it is a rolling boil let boil for 4 minutes, Stir as this occurs. Add zest and juice of 1 lemon. Turn off heat and stir every minute for 15 minutes (this keeps the raspberries evenly distributed around the jar). Put into jars and seal well. EAT

I boiled water and put all the jars and lids into the boiling water to sterilise them. Normally I would just put them all in the oven. Then I used my camp stove to make the jam. I used my recipe (and have realised that I have not blogged it before.) It is all bottled, finished and washed up only 20 minutes later, so I was really pleased that I did it.