It’s Strawberry Season! If you haven’t realize yet….. Now it is time to go and pick your own berries and prepare delicious pies and marmalade! Since my kids were very little, we started the sweet tradition of picking berries during the summer (and taking photographs as well of course) at one of our favorite farms near Boston: Tougas Farm  in Northboro, MA.  For our family, this meant officially the beginning of the Summer. We begin picking strawberries at the end of June. Short before the 4th of July we pick cherries and we finish picking blueberries mid July.

Besides eating fresh fruit and baking delicious pies, we love to to prepare marmalade. We are stock (literally) for the rest of the year! Since we started this tradition, we haven’t buy anymore marmalade at the grocery store. This marmalades remind us our summer during the cold months of winter and the fun of the strawberry season. For all that think this is super tedious or a lot of work…. here is a super easy recipe that will prove your are wrong!

Strawberry Marmalade:

For 5 (8oz. Containers):

1 Qt. Strawberries

4 Cups of Sugar

1 Pack Sure Jell (Premium Fruit Pectin)

Directions:

1. Remove and discard strawberry stems. Crush strawberries.
2. Use dry measuring cup to measure exact amount of prepared fruit into large saucepan.
3. Measure exact amount of sugar into a separate bowl (DO NOT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SUGAR SINCE THAT WILL RESULT IN IN SET FAILURES!)
4. Stir 1 pkg. SURE-JELL Premium Fruit Pectin into prepared fruit (Add 1/2 tsp butter to reduce foaming if desired)
5. Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly.
6. Add sugar to fruit mixture in saucepan. Return to full rolling boil; boil exact 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skin off any foam with a metal spoon.
7. Fill immediately into prepared jars, filling each to within 1/4 inch of top. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two piece lids. Place jars on boiling water for 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing centers of lids with finger. If lid spring back, lid is not sealed an you need to refrigerate it.
8. Store unopened jars in cool, dry and dark place up to 1 year.
9. Refrigerate opened jams and jellies up to 3 weeks.

about helena goessens photography

Helena Goessens is a newborn, baby, children and family photographer based in Dedham, MA. She loves to work with families and little ones in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Her style is simple and natural and she specializes in capturing those special moments to savor a lifetime. Helena Goessens offers sessions in the comfort of clients homes, outdoors and on location for those special occasions.  If you are looking for a portrait photographer for your next family session, contact her at    info@helenagoessens.com    or call her at    617-584-9891.  For more of her work, visit her website at helenagoessens.com.