Jam and Jelly–You can make both!

If you have read my blog for a while, it is probably apparent to you that I love jam. Jam is a great way to start learning to preserve; and it is obvious what you can do with it. It is one of my favorite gifts to give people as well. I mean, I gave everyone gifts of jam at my wedding and they seemed to love it! Jam feels like home to me as it is something I often made with my mom and grandpa. But, I believe I’ve probably written and tried so many jams that it seems I’ve forgotten its close friend—jelly! Jelly is also delicious. It is easy to make—maybe even easier than jam. I’ve made a few different types of jellies recently. It has been fun and different than what I’m used to.

Jelly is different from jam because it is made from fruit juice. Jam is made from crushed or small pieces of fruit.

How you get the juice depends on what fruit you have available, how much time you have, and what you choose. You can choose to make your own juice from fruit that you have (cherries, blackberries, peaches, grapes, etc.). If you’d like a tutorial on how to make juice, check out http://www.pickyourown.org/canning_fruit_juice.php.

The other option is to buy juice from the store, which is what I often do. Yes, it seems somewhat like cheating, but it tastes good, allows different types of flavors, and can be done quickly. You just need to make sure you get 100% juice, preferably with no sugar added.

However you choose to get your juice, if you have been jamming and would like to try something new, but similar, try out some jelly recipes.