juneberries ~

No ... I'm not a month behind.  The Juneberries ripen in July around here. So off we go picking! 

I don't know if you're familiar with Juneberries or not ... do you have them in your neck of the woods?

The fruit resembles, in looks, of a big blueberry.  Actually, it is akin of the apple family, tasting  like a cross between a blueberry, a pear and an almond.  It's sometimes referred to as the poor man's blueberry.  Unlike the blueberry which grows on a bush, the juneberry grows on a small tree that is 8 to 15 feet in height like an apple tree.  The red berries are just about as sweet as the blue ones ... so when picking for jelly ... we use both.

Picking the Juneberries is a real treat for us.  We don't normally get many of them; but this year has been an exception.  The biggest threat to the Juneberries around here is a killing frost in the early spring ... freezing off the blossoms before fruit is able to set in.  Fortunate for us, that didn't happen this year.

The second and possibly the biggest reason that we don't get to pick them is because the birds, racoons and bear LOVE Juneberries and can strip a tree as fast as they ripen before we humans can get them.

So what does one do with Juneberries?  Well ... you know me ... put on some music, head to the kitchen and it's JAM TIME!!

Juneberry Jam

4 cups of juneberries

3 cups of sugar

1/4 cup water

zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

Put all the ingredients into a heavy sauce pan.  Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.  Mash down the berries as they are cooking. Also, keep stirring it ... this is not a good time to walk away from the kettle.  It can burn very easily and it can over boil.  Trust me ... that is one sticky mess you do not want to deal with.  There is also no need to use pectin in this ~ as the juneberry is high in natural pectin like an apple.  It will thicken as it cooks.
Put into jars.
Seal and hot water bath for 10 minutes.

~~

When I made the jam ~ after cooking the berries down I did strain off the majority of the pulp and seeds.  The juneberries aren't real seedy like a raspberry; but they are a little bit bigger than a raspberry seed.  I personally don't care for seedy jams ... just my preference :)  But it sure is good tasting.

Dear Hubby asked me if I could make him a raspberry doughgen for him to take into work tonight with some of the leftover juneberries.  I've never made that before ... but I guess I'll give it a whirl. 

Well ... now you know what I've been up to today.  Tomorrow, won't be as much fun :( 

 ... I have surgery in the morning to have a lumpectomy done.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit apprehensive about this but I guess all I can do is what I have always done.  Put my trust in God to see me through.

Have a wonderful day my friends and thanks for stopping in.  Now go fight off some bears and get yourself some juneberries and make some jam!

Until next time ...

So it goes in my neck of the woods.

~mel