Putting Up Strawberries

I made some strawberry jam this morning. We had gone strawberry picking Saturday morning, and brought home 6 quarts. I hadn't realized how fast they go bad, and we lost 3/4 of a quart by this morning, so I knew it was time to make the jam, lest I lose all the rest of the crop.

Glub glub goes the jam

I like to make jam. It's work, but since the strawberries and sugar "jam" themselves, a lot of it is watching and checking to see if it jelled and tasting--that's the best part.

Smooshed strawberries, anyone??

With the 5-odd quarts of strawberries we had today, I made two kinds of jam. One just plain strawberry without pectin, and one strawberry-rhubarb.

Rhubarb is a pretty color

I got 3 pints of plain strawberry and 2 1/2 pints of the strawberry-rhubarb. The funny thing was, that I was expecting to LOVE the plain strawberry jam, and only like the strawberry-rhubarb. I wasn't really sure about it. I have had strawberry-rhubarb pie before, and I like it, but don't love it. So I figured the jam would be the same.

Well, I was wrong! The strawberry jam was good but sugary and didn't seem as "strawberryish" as it could be, but the strawberry-rhubarb jam was out of this world. Holy cow! Love it love it!! As you can see, my daughter agrees with me. She gave the strawberry-rhubarb first prize!! I could eat it all day. I think next time I do this, I'll try the pectin-version of the strawberry jam. Maybe all the cooking is what made it not as strawberry-ee. I dunno. But I will repeat the strawberry-rhubarb recipe. I think my mind's been changed. WOW!!
After I was done, I had a nice lunch of strawberry shortcake. (It's very nutritious, you know) MMMMMMMMM!! So good!!

Have a fabulously sweet day!!