By Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff

I have not bought jams from a grocery store ever since I moved to California, some 50+ years ago. And I have raised three children, frequently making them PB&J sandwiches for lunch. Now that the kids are grown, I still enjoy making jams, sometimes for myself or to give them away to friends.

Some berries are grown and harvested in California almost year-round.  For example, while peak season for strawberries is April through August, they are grown during some winter months in Southern California.  

This year, berries are in abundance in Northern California. The combination of a warm, dry spring, followed by rains, has led to a plethora of berries. The dry warm spring encouraged pollinating bees, wasps and flies at the peak flowering time and the warm summer was perfect for fruit development, with water around to swell the berries. This is why the strawberries are so big, sweet, juicy and delicious this year. So, let us enjoy the bounty of nature by consuming a lot of berries!

Why should we eat more berries? According to a U.S. Dietary Guidelines survey, most Americans do not consume enough fresh produce. The guideline suggests Americans should double their fruit and vegetable consumption to reduce their risk of chronic disease and maintain a healthy weight. 

Berries are among the best fruits to include in your diet. Specifically, strawberries are low in calories and high in fiber content. They are a good source of many vitamins, minerals and plant compounds, which can reduce the bad cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation and can help in maintaining healthy blood-sugar levels.  

July and August are the peak season for harvesting berries, making this month a perfect time for making berry jam. The home-made berry jam is simple and inexpensive to make. The big, sweet strawberries – including the organic ones – have been affordable this year. Let’s get together with friends to make some jam.

What berries to use for making jam: Any ripe berries such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries will make a great jam. Make sure to buy them organic. When it comes to buying fruits, avoid the dirty dozen which are the conventional fruits and vegetables that are most pesticide-ridden. And the conventional strawberries are on top of that dirty list. This year, I have found fresh organic strawberries at a reasonable price at the farmers markets and in grocery stores. After buying the berries, refrigerate them until ready to make the jam.

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped strawberries

½ cup water 

¼ cup lemon or lime juice

1 cup sugar

Procedure:

Wash the strawberries thoroughly and then cut off the green tops and the center of the top. Chop the berries into small pieces using a knife or in a food processor leaving them coarsely chopped. (It is OK if they get semi-pureed.) 

Add the berries, water and lemon juice to a saucepan with a thick bottom. (Do not use a cast iron pot). Start cooking over moderate heat uncovered. In a few minutes, it will start simmering and some foam will float to the surface. You can remove the foam using a spoon (if it bothers you) but it will go away at the end anyway. After simmering the berries for 10 to 12 minutes, add the sugar and stir with a wooden spoon. 

Next, lower the heat to medium/low and cook the mixture for about 15-20 minutes, stirring as necessary. The mixture will start to thicken and look shiny and glazed.  Cook for a few more minutes until it looks like a jam (reaching 220 degrees F.) stirring frequently, so that it does not stick to the bottom or burn. Turn off the heat and then place into a stainless-steel bowl. While the jam is still warm, transfer it to clean glass jars. After the jam has cooled, you can refrigerate it. The jam will keep for several weeks if you refrigerate it after each use.   

Using the same recipe, you can make other berry jams using raspberries, blackberries or blueberries, modifying the amount of sugar you use depending on sweetness of the berries. You may have to cook the berries a bit longer or shorter period of time in order to make them into a jam.

I often make a batch of a few jars, as home-made jam makes a great gift!

Recipes by Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff, copyright 2023. Shanta is a Sunset District resident and the author of “Cooking Together” and “Flavors of India,” both available at Other Avenues Food Store at 3930 Judah St. Shanta writes recipes and articles on food and nutrition. She also teaches vegetarian and vegan cooking classes and shares recipes via videos on YouTube.