It's already heading into fall here in the Pacific Northwest. The leaves are starting to change, the mornings and nights almost cold, but we have also had beautiful, clear, warm days. We started our fall season off with the best caramel apple EVER!!! It was a huge honeycrisp dipped in top grade caramel. There were 3 of us eating this monster and we still didn't finish it. Of course The Girl only wanted the caramel :)
We went blackberry picking a couple of weeks ago. When we got to our favorite spot, we found out the city had cut back the brambles about 6 feet! Now you had to trip over cut brambles AND fight the spiders for the good berries. The berries were still green and small. With the great weather it didn't take them long to ripen up though. Today was "jam making day".
I dropped The Girl at "school" and got all my shopping done early so I could get the berries put up before I had to pick up the little one. It started off a little rough. My mind just wasn't in the task I was attempting to do. If anybody had been listening they would have thought I was crazy. Talking to myself and running in circles!
I finally pulled it together and got on with it. Berries and sugar everywhere! My food mill is a little small for something like this but it worked out in the long run. I can't stand those huge blackberry seeds sticking in my teeth as I try and eat. Drives me crazy!! And those of you who know me, know how level headed I always am ;)
Ooopps!!! The process is not always pretty but the results are delicious. How I managed to do this, I have no idea. One minute it was a nice slow boil and the next it was lava all over the place. Oh alright, I was texting.....about food......to a girl as weird and geeky about this stuff as I am.....moving on......
I somehow managed to accomplish my mission. Nobody was hurt and the jam is yummy. I love fall, now bring on the soups and homemade bread!!
