Part of my food philosophy (a big part) is that any food can do a good thing for you if you eat it with the right attitude.  An extension of this is that eating a food that is not full of nutrients, on occasion, can still be good for you if it makes you happy (they’re called neurotransmitters and your brain makes them)  Mom and I tell ourselves this every time we have a cookie, and it also applies to jam.

Jam, almost any kind, is pretty, tastes sweet and a little goes a long way. Jam can be made from most any type of fruit, but most easily from those that are high in natural pectin. Pectin can be added to those not having enough of it naturally – it’s a product found in most grocery stores in the U.S. Gelatin can also be used and I will have a recipe at the end that uses it.  Jams are made with crushed fruit which is different from preserves where the shape of the fruit is preserved, duh…

It’s the process of crushing and cooking the fruit that releases natural pectins that thicken your jam, along with the sugar. Some recipes add natural pectin by including lemon juice and rind. The longer you cook it, the thicker it may become so you may need to experiment a little.  I love the frozen spoon test and the whole jam making method found in this link.(Click here to read )

Freezer jam is not cooked as long and has more of the nutrients found in the fruit and is more colorful and fresh tasting in my opinion. This freezer jam recipe has a surprise ingredient – tomatoes! You might not even notice they’re there. Surprise Raspberry Jam

You can make a lot of jam at once or as little as one pint jar if you have a small amount of fruit that might otherwise go to waste. It’s not hard, and fresh jam is so good in the morning with your toast, and your coffee (with half and half). Just sayin’…