Red Alert! Red Alert!

Red alert!! That's exactly what I hear every time I spoon apricot jam onto bread--because it's my last jar!   Two years ago I made a huge supply of apricot, blueberry, and peach melba jam. Now, only one lonely jar of apricot jam is left, and it's almost empty.  Obviously, jam making is in order.

Here it is, the last jar, and it's still delicious.  This weekend, I made a loaf of molasses-buttermilk bread which served as a nice backdrop for the jam. The bread has a texture and taste somewhat like brown bread, but you bake it in the oven, rather than steam it.  It's faintly sweet and didn't compete with the jam. It  would have been rude to make anything that overshadowed this wonderful jam.   

Even though this jam was made two years ago, it still has fresh fruit flavor and a soft spoonable texture. Jam isn't difficult to make, but it can surprise you and turn out too runny or too hard.  There's a farm here in town  where you pick your own fruit, so it's time to start planning on some jam making!

Molasses-Buttermilk Bread   (Deborah Madison from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone)

1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup stone ground corn meal
1 cup all purpose or whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baling soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter, melted
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 whole eggs or 3 egg whites
3/4 cup raisins, chopped dates , or currents

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.    Spray with Pam or butter and flour a bread pan.  Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, whisk the wet ingredients in a second bowl.   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir quickly to combine.  Stir in the fruits. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Let cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan before turing out onto a rack or serving.

Comments

[steven]

I'm rationing the last of my Aunt's raspberry preserves and my own tomatoes. I'm not going to make it!

[Glenna]

If I were a lesser person I would say "Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah--she sent me a jar each of apricot and blueberry!" But here's the deal: I got exactly 1 Tbsp out of each before my husband sat down with a loaf of bread, the toaster, and each jar each time she sent one. Uh huh. I got to wash the jars. Uh huh. I guess the "nyah nyahs" are on me.

[sher]

Steven,

I know what you mean. Once you had home canned, you can't go back!!!!!!!!

Glenna,

You have to create a private stash. I have a friend--not saying who--and she puts out a jar of the jam for all to enjoy when I give it to her. But, she hides the other jars for herself. :):):)

[Shannon]

Never in my life have I even considered making my own jam or preserves, as the idea scares me! Silly to be scared by something that turns out yummy, isn't it? I'm just not that good of a cook yet and have doubts, many doubts, of my abilities! My grandmother used to make the world's best pineapple jam and I'd give anything to taste it again, which means maybe I should give it a try.

[albert]

sher,

Being able to grow your own vegetables & fruits is Great Living!

Our family has planted variety items this year, and we're eager to see the results.

I can wait till taste my Strawberries.

Yummy!

[Kristi]

mmm... this looks so good. And thanks for the bread recipe. I'm going to give that one a try.

[steven]

I had forgotten the name of the apricots I used to make preserves with in California and then it came to me...Blenheims! If you can get your hands on some, do..they are the best apricots ever!

[Calendula & Concrete]

I just found your site. Everything looks so yummy! Very cute kitty, too. I'll be back.

[Bunty]

Sherry:
Yesterday I used up the last of the apricot Jam you gave me (must be over a year ago) and the jar is in my dish washwasher. So, when you come you can take it home and fill it up again please. I loved every drop. The bread you show here looks so o o
good.
Bunty

[sher]

Shannon,

Making jam isn't that hard, but it can be very sweaty work, since the best fruit usually is available when it so hot!!! Yum, pimeapple jam is wonderful. I seem to recall that it can be a challenge when you use fresh pineapple? Or maybe it's the other way and it's harder to get it to gel when it's canned? Do you have your grandmother's recipe?

Albert,

Ahh, fresh strawberries. I love them. And they are so much better than those tasteless things sold in the store.

Kristi,

Hope you enjoy the bread recipe. It's very easy, which is a good thing for whipping up at the last minute.

Steven,

Yes--Blenheims!! They're supposed to be available soon, but heard we may not have a good crop because of all the rain we got earlier. They really are wonderful.

Calendula & Concrete,

Thanks for visiting--you have a great site.

Bunty,

Hopefully, I'll have some jam to bring you when I visit!

[farmgirl]

Okay, I can't even say anything about that amazing jam because my mouth is already watering too much, and continuing to think about it would simply be self-torture. : ) That bread, however, looks delicious and caught my eye immediately. So glad when I saw you'd posted the recipe. I've never made anything like it and am tempted to march into the kitchen and bake up a loaf right now (despite the fact that I currently have no homemade jam--of my own or anyone else's--on hand) Thanks!