Ep. 3.6: Fermented Friends

Chloe, Christy, & Eva discuss what it means to preserve time in terms of food and memories (with a generous helping of laughter on the side).

Delicious Eats

Mixed Berry Jam reprinted from Ball Home Canning

4 cups crushed berries (mix and match your favorites such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries)

4 1/2 tablespoons Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin

3 cups sugar

Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.

Combine berries in an 8-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.

Add entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam, if necessary.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.

Ladle filled jars in canner ensuring jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner. Bring water to gentle, steady boil.

Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid and let jars stand for 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Note from Ball: If you choose not to use the canning method above, eliminate steps 1 and 4 through 6. Instead, allow hot jam to cool slightly in saucepan, then ladle into small plastic containers suitable for the freezer, tightly seal with lids, and freeze. Frozen jam should last about six months to one year in the freezer.

Clickable Links

Learn how to brew your own kombucha with Brad from Bon Appetit!

How food preservation defines United States Southern culture

And, the Story of Miso

Fantastic Reads

Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods by Sandor Ellix Katz

Foundations of Flavor: The Noma Guide to Fermentation by René Redzepi and David Zilber

The Farm Girl's Guide to Preserving the Harvest: How to Can, Freeze, Dehydrate, and Ferment Your Garden's Goodness by Ann Accetta-Scott

Content Note

We weren't quite correct in our assumption regarding the production of alcohol during yeast/bacterial fermentation. For more information, check out what Bon Appetit has to say about it here.

photo by christy of sunkissed mason jars in the window of her new home