Recently I've heard a few people use the word "honest" to describe food. My first reaction was, what an absurd adjective to describe food! Those copywriters have lost their blueberries. As if food can lie to you. The more I thought about it, though, the more it made sense. Undoubtedly, there is a lot of food out there, all produced by that evil monolith known by some as “Big Food,” that is lying straight to my face. As Food Inc. notes, meat producers proudly brand their pork products with idyllic photos of the family farm, when the pork product really comes from places that would most certainly curb your craving for bacon and eggs.
Back to the blueberries: if there is such a thing as honest food, it's this here jam. I picked the blueberries myself, then made the jam on my own stove. Take that, Big Food.
Blueberry Jam
From the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Makes eight 8-ounce jars
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups of crushed blueberries
4 tbsp lemon juice
7 cups granulated sugar (I cut this down to five; it's up to you)
2 pouches (3oz) liquid pectin
Directions
1. Prepare jars and lids. (See my pickle post for instructions on sterilizing jars).
2. In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine blueberries, lemon juice, and sugar. Over high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Stir in pectin. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
3. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust head space, if necessary, by adding hot jam. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
4. Place jars in stainless steel pan ensuring their are completely covered with water. Bring to boil and process for 10 minutes. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.
