Making jam is one of my favorite things to do in the spring and summer. I use the freshest fruit from my local farmers market and supplement its natural sweetness with as little added sugar as possible. I feel lucky to live in the Carolinas where we have such an abundance of fresh local fruit at reasonable prices. This strawberry photo came from Springs Farm’s website, right here in Fort Mill – a great place to pick your own strawberries.
Making jam has gotten even easier since Ball came out with RealFruit Pectin in jars, rather than packets. Now I can easily adjust my ratio of pectin to the amount of fruit I’ve prepared. I love the Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin, but I’ve also used their Classic Pectin in a pinch. Since I often give away my homemade jam as gifts, a colleague of mine has told me to start labeling them “Nancy’s Precious Preserves.” It has a nice ring, doesn’t it?
