Jam Time

 A favorite fall activity is making preserves and jellies. It's a great way to use up late summer and early fall harvests. not only that but you can start the day with homemade goodness on a croissant or toast.

Yewande Komolafe,a food stylist and author wrote an interesting article about preserves in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.Canning is a pretty straightforward cooking procedure. All you need is fruit, sugar acid and pectin. The last is found in such thick skinned fruits as stone fruits like plums,  and other fruits such as guavas, pears , apples and citrus..These will thicken naturally when simmered. For thinner skinned fruits store bought pectin needs to be added. Get the storebought powdered kind.There does have to be prepping. Cut out any bruised spots.Ms. Komolafe also recommends adding aromatics and even herbs to enhance and bring out the fruits' flavors, She pairs ginger with plums for a sweet and heat flavor. She also spikes a fig jam with rosemary.

There are three methods to making jams and jellies. The easiest is the no cook way or refrigerator which has crushed raw fruit mixed with sugar and pectin, The jars are then placed into the fridge. The next step is the gentle simmer. This is involves cooking for twenty five minutes going from boiling to simmering..It creates a more spreadable jam, perfect for brioches and croissants. The last method is more involved and traditional. This is cooking the fruit to extract the juice and pectin. The solids are then strained away. Ms. Komolafe recommends using apples for this method.It should be a balance of tart and sweet. Think marmalades which are given a bite thanks to the rind.This will take about thirty five to forty minutes  along with eigh cups of water. The mash is then strained through cheesecloth and reboiled. The end result is ladled into sterilized jars and chilled.

Use those summer harvest to create tasty jellies and jams. They're perfect for breakfast on a croissant or buttered toast. Use yhem for glazes for roasts. They are a fun make, full of possibilities.