Sunday, July 8, 2012

Blueberry Jam

Everyone has been saying that since the weather has been so weird the blueberries would be ready early.  Today we tested that theory by heading out to our favorite wild blueberry spot to pick a bunch for jam and yes, "everyone" was right.  We got there around 10 am and were done around 12:30 (we could have picked more berries but the heat was doing us in!).  We even ran into the same Ukranian gentleman we ran into last year, at basically the same location.  All told, the 3 of us got just about 2 quarts of berries and even picked a few of what we think are huckleberries (we kept those separate for the purposes of jam-making).  Just enough to make a batch of jam, freeze a cup, and have a few to eat.

I'm not really clear on huckleberries.  What I recall is a pinky red berry that grows in the Pacific Northwest, that is called a huckleberry.  What seems to pass for huckleberries on the east coast are blue, look a bit like blueberries, but are seedier.  And not as sweet.  We're still not convinced.

Regardless, I now have 9 cups of very very tasty wild blueberry jam.  And I think that'll be it for the blueberries for another year.  Well, the at least the wild ones.

4 comments:

  1. where are you located? still waiting in Maine. Low bush or High bush?

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  2. Eastern Massachusetts, mostly low bush berries. The high bush berries at the orchards are also ripe now.

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  3. I don't like blueberry jam. I made some when we first went blueberry picking here (you-pick-it farm) and it didn't get eaten. Now I keep my blueberries for other things like pancakes and waffles, muffins and bread or just to add with some homemade yogurt.

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    Replies
    1. I've found that jam made from wild blueberries is different than that made from the high bush berries, which are the type grown at the pick your own places. The wild ones (low bush) are sweeter and smaller. You pay for it, though, because you have to pick a lot more berries to get the same volume! But we also keep 1 cup bags of berries in the freezer for pancakes.

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