Okay, so major props go out to my husband, Joe, who pretty much did all the prep-work, dishes and cleanup for this recipe (and also these spicy beans). Only he knows how much being a part of this
means to me, and would basically make the whole batch, while I dictated from the couch, nauseated and exhausted.
I was amazed at how quickly we went through the first batch of strawberry jam; and because Floridian strawberries were shamefully rotting in fields due to a cheap influx of California strawberries, we decided to make more strawberry jam. We were careful to purchase local strawberries, though for the price I can't imagine the farmer made much profit. If only more people supported, or were even aware, of the locavore movement, such wasteful tragedies would not happen.
The rhubarb was thrown in just for fun, and lavender was the only herb from our herb garden that survived this Florida's winter.
5 1/2 pint jars, lids and rings, sterilized
2 # strawberries, hulled and halved
1 # rhubarb, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 TBSP lavender, minced
Add strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Cook down until syrupy, skimming off foam as it collects. Mine took about 40 minutes. At the last minute stir in lavender, ladle into jars and process 5 minutes.
The jam is classic, with a perfect "set". The lavender tricks your taste buds into thinking you may be eating honey. We had it on crackers with cheese and it was delicious. I could also well imagine it on pancakes or waffles. It is very sweet, though. If I made it again I might cut down the sugar and use pectin.
aw!
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