Your winter alter ego will thank you for every jar of jam you make in the summer.
Wake up!
Summer is at its halfway point. How many ready-made jars do you have in your pantry? If the answer is "zero", it is time to do something about it. Winter is coming!
Is it too late? No, it is not too late at all. August is a generous month that graciously allows you to catch up on your entire vacation. Supposedly, there are people among us whose freezers are filled to the brim with strawberries waiting for their turn in the queue to the jars, but let's agree on something - during the strawberry season, we think about eating as many of them as possible. Sorting strawberries without immediate consumption requires a lot of hard work.
Look in your freezer. If you see only ice cream there, you will only find strawberry jam in December in a store, not in your pantry.
Okay, it is too late for strawberries. Then what should I fill the jars with?
With Love!
That one is obvious, but what if you want to have something to fill you? Here is a little cheat sheet of the most popular vegetables and fruits you will find at fairs and stores.*
| AUGUST FRUITS | AUGUST VEGETABLES |
| Raspberries, currants (red and black), nectarines, peaches, berries, blueberries, pears, grapes, plums, apricots and even apples! | Tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, cucumbers, courgettes, aubergines, asparagus beans, beets and most leafy vegetables. |
* These are, of course, those in season. There is a lot of other fruit and vegetables in the stores, but be careful - not necessarily fresh and local.
A basic arsenal
Contrary to appearances, it is not the end of the story when the jam is in the jar. It does not even start there!
- A cherry pitting machine or a peduncle pliers. You think, "well, I can do without them." That is true. But consider whether your nerves, sweat and tears are worth it, especially if you can avoid it! Seriously, save yourself the drama of stoning cherries with a safety pin.
- Funnel for the jar. No, you will not push any jam through a simple funnel, we assure you. Even the most cooperative.
- The jar, the star attraction, without which, there will be no jam party. You can choose between a twist jar or a traditional weck jar.
The difference between a weck jar and a twist jar
An additional arsenal (but still quite useful)
- Jar labels. Of course, you can put a paper sticker on the jar, but it will not be the same as a real label - a decorative, retro-style label that will upgrade any jar. And it will remind about its content :)
- A jar opener. This is a gadget whose value increases in the winter months when it comes to opening summer preserves. Important - jar openers are also used by tough guys!
A sweet gift
Even the most chic bought gift will not be as charming as the one made by hand. The summer season for preserves is the perfect time to prepare a stock of gifts for the rest of the year. A jam in a decorative jar is a last-minute gift that will save you at the last minute on the birthday of your loved one (about which, what can you say, you forgot). What is important is that no one will suspect you giving a 'bought-just-before-the-closing-of-the-store' gift.
Therefore, before the start of the production of the preserves, you should provide yourself with several decorative jars, labels and ribbons. The effect of a delighted birthday person - guaranteed!
Miscellaneous items
...and to be exact, jar grippers, pots for making jam, peduncle pliers and much more. You can find such gadgets in the category of accessories for preserves that do not belong to funnels, openers, labels or stoners.
Check it out at the end - perhaps you will find something without which making preserves would not make sense?
