Spring has officially arrived on the Palouse and we're finally starting to thaw! To celebrate the change in seasons, our Produce manager, Kyle, was able to procure a smokin' deal on organic strawberries. They are currently on sale for $3.99 per pound and are available until we sell out. Now, we're all for eating strawberries as they come, cut up in yogurt or layered in shortcake, but we also love a sweet and simple jam layered on freshly baked Co-op bread. To make the jam you will need:
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled4 cups of sugar1/4 cup lemon juice
In a large mixing bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berries. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees, about 10-15 minutes.
Test for jelling: Place three small plates in the freezer. After about 10 minutes of boiling, place a teaspoon of the liquid onto the cold plate. If it doesn’t run back together when you draw a line through it with your finger, it’s ready!
Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process in a water bath for 15 minutes. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, there's no need to process it. Simply keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.