Passport & Plate - Nan's Mulberry Jam
Australia | Thursday, March 13, 2014 | 5 photos
Ingredients
2kg of fresh Mulberries (from Poppy’s Mulberry trees)
2 cups of lemon juice
8 cups of sugar
Lemon rind from one lemon
1 packet of Pectin
How to prepare this recipe1. Take all of the stems off the mulberries and rinse in cold water
2. Put the Mulberries in a big pot on the stove with lemon juice and sugar. If you’re watching your weight this recipe is not going to agree with you.
3. Squish mulberries down with a spoon to release the juices and heat until just before boiling point
4. Add Pectin and water mixture, stir and bring to boil
5. Test for consistency of jam with a cold spoon and continue to simmer until desired consistency is reached
6. Taste everything!
7. Make sure you boil the jam jars to sterilise them, then add hot jam…It’s going to get messy!
8. And lick the spoon, trust me you won't be able to stop!
9. Clean up and store jam in a cold dark place
The story behind this recipeIf it was edible my Nan could make it into anything. She never wasted food, she passed away four years ago and we still have cupboards filled with homemade cordial, preserved fruit and jam…even after giving a jar to every neightbour, friend and acquaintance. It’s probably toxic by now but boy, was it delicious!
I remember putting my little gumboots on and walking down the back to the mulberry trees at Nan and Pop’s house. I use to follow Nan around and we would stop by every tree on the property and eat something off it. My favorite was the mulberry tree. I would pick all those tiny berries while getting purple stains all over my hands and clothes and I ate them until my stomach hurt.
I didn’t quite realise how lucky I was to have such a talented Nan – who made so much delicious food – until I grew older. I decided, in my Nan’s honour, to make her infamous Mulberry Jam. So, I went out to visit my Pop and with the help of my brother, sister, aunties, uncle, cousins and Pop we raided the mulberry trees. But, only on the condition that I make jar of jam for each of them.
Although it doesn’t have my Nan’s special touch, I still get thrills from making homemade mulberry jam just like Nan use to make. I know she would be so proud.
