Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 26 on 21/04/2006.

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Get set to make great jam

Sue Lawrence preserves an old tradition

Making jam is not difficult. All it requires is fruit in prime condition, sugar and a bit of time spent in the kitchen.

It also helps to understand what makes jam or jelly set: pectin, a natural substance that binds the fruit pulp with acid and sugar.

Some fruit, such as strawberries, brambles and cherries, have low pectin levels and so extra pectin must be added to ensure a good set.

Others, such as cooking apples, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries have higher pectin and set without any help.

In the olden days you had to add lemon juice or bottled liquid pectin, but now it is much easier to make jams and jellies with fruits with low pectin as you can buy special ‘jam sugar’ which has added pectin powder. This ensures a good set with a minimum of boiling, thus retaining the full fruity flavour and vibrant colour.

Because it is so easy to make, there is no excuse for tiny plastic tubs of tasteless commercial jam in hotels with good kitchens, when home-made is so much more delicious.

It also shows that the kitchen truly cares about every aspect of your stay, whether in a hotel or in your own home.

And if anyone says: “It’s only jam,” then they have obviously never tasted home-made!

There is an even easier jam that needs hardly any cooking: freezer jam. To make this, you simply boil equal amounts of fruit (raspberries are best) with jam sugar, boil for three minutes then spoon at once into freezer-proof containers and cover when cold. This is store.....

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By Sue Lawrence

Section : Scottish Food

Page number : 48