Strawberry Jammin'

This past weekend, I made my very first batch of strawberry jam...and surprise: it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. As a matter of fact, it was fun (and delicious) and I can't wait to do it again!

Here is my finished product. Scroll down for a step-by-step look at how the berries went from field to jar in one short weekend.

Picking berries with my little sis at the Charlotte Berry Farm. Doesn't she look thrilled? Actually, she was a force to be reckoned with in the strawberry patch. She out-picked me by three small bushels!

Hulling berries at home in the kitchen. It's actually a Zen-like experience. Don't forget to eat a few berries along the way!

Sugaring the pot. Three cups of sugar per six cups of freshly picked berries. Makes one large Mason jar of jam.

After the sugar has melted, toss in the berries and stir. Ensure that all the sugar is melted and absorbed by the berries and berry liquid.

Let the berries simmer for an hour (enjoy the aroma that will waft throughout your house!). Then, take a coffee break. I like iced mochaccinos with whipped cream, topped off with a sprinkle of Madagascar Vanilla Sugar. You can order it through the King Arthur Flour Bake Shop.

Ahh the berries are simmering nicely. You can see that a foam is starting the form and the berries are getting darker. We're almost done!

It's been an hour and the berries are very dark. Carefully ladle the hot jam into a jar. Once you've filled it up, flip the jar over to that it is sitting on its top. This creates a vacuum seal - no tricky paraffin wax necessary. Let it sit for the night. Go to bed very satisfied with yourself and enjoy dreams of next morning's breakfast!

The next morning, open the jar of jam and enjoy. I like to have it on an English Muffin! The ideal way to start the day!