Well, I did it. After months of dreaming about jam-making – spurred on by my success with marmalade this winter – I finally got down to business yesterday afternoon, putting the berries I had picked to good use. I made three different batches – one raspberry, one strawberry, and one raspberry-strawberry blend – and am well on my way to building a stockpile for winter. My brother joined me in making the raspberry jam (using the raspberry fridge jam recipe from the River Cottage Preserves Handbook) but then wisely went home, missing out on the opportunity to watch his sister evolve from a calm, serene home preserver to a jam-obsessed maniac. (I did go a little crazy and, after hours spent in the sun picking berries all morning and then an afternoon and evening spent processing them in the kitchen, it was no surprise that when I closed my eyes that night all I could see were strawberries.) The strawberry jam was also made using the River Cottage Preserves Handbook recipe and, since there was a bit extra that is now being stored in the fridge, I can attest to its scrumptiousness, having had a bit on my toast this morning. Then, for the raspberry-strawberry jam, I tried Molly Wizenberg’s jam recipe, which I’m not quite sure about. Everything went perfectly but I think it’s just a bit too sugary for my tastes. Or maybe, after sampling so much jam all day, I had just finally hit my threshold for anything sweet. All in all, a very productive day!
The Captive Reader 
You sound very industrious! and those labels are so pretty.
Oh I miss home-made jam, especially blackberry. I keep trying different store brands, knowing I’m doomed to disappointment. I’ve tried to bribe my sister to share her home-mades, but she just won’t.
My sister in law has just given me a bag of fresh loganberries straight from her and my brother in law’s garden … it won’t end up as jam but will go into a loganberry pie to have with hot, thick custard!
I meant to say first of all, but forgot – what am I like? – that your jam looks wonderful! And, as Mystica says, very pretty labels.
Your jam looks wonderful – and you conjured up happy memories of my childhood, when my brother and I would get to eat the ‘droppings’ on saucers as our mother tested the setting consistency to see if the jam was ready, and the kitchen got hotter and hotter, and everything got stickier and stickier.
How fun! Your jams are beautiful and I am sure they taste delicious. What a wonderful way to spend the day!
Congratulations on your success! I have been thinking about making jam, since there are so many in the store that I can’t have due to food allergies…but I’ve been too afraid up to this point. This makes me want to reconsider and give it a shot myself.
They look beautiful, well done, that must have been very satisfying and goes well with your country cottage pic I just viewed, I think you ought to be living in the country 🙂