Blackberry Jam

Jam, jelly, marmalade, fruit butter, conserve, preserve...who knew there were so many ways to can fruit! Our conversation about figuring out the difference between them all usually goes something like this (over and over):

Ok, jelly is clear, no pieces of fruit, smooth and can slightly hold it's shape. Then jam has the whole fruit crushed and is a little more runny. And a preserve is...wait what's the difference between a preserve and a jam? Oh, ok, so a preserve has bigger chunks of fruit than a jam, but is still very similar to a jam? So more like a jelly with chunks of fruit. Then what's a conserve? That's right, it's more like a jam, but usually is made with more than 1 fruit and nuts and raisins. Ok, that's weird. And a marmalade? Like jelly but with small peices of fruit suspended in it's jelly-like mold. Isn't that what you just said a conserve is? So the only difference is whether nuts and raisins are included? Ok, I think I get it now. Can you pass the jam? Oh, that's a preserve? Aren't they all the same thing anyways?

We scored a end of the season, unsprayed flat of blackberries at the farmer's market and made some jam, froze about 7 quarts, stuffed our faces, and have been enjoying them fresh all week.

Here's the recipe that I used for the blackberry jam:

6 cups blackberries

1/2 cup water

6 cups sugar

1 cup orange juice

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Cook berries and water until heated through. Add sugar and fruit juices. Stir and mash. Cook over low heat until thick. Makes eight 6-ounce glasses.