Cracked it!

The ghost of last year's strawberry jam has been excised!

After trying a much simpler recipe this year (none of that fancy, over complicated rubbish) and continual stirring to ensure no sticking, the strawberry jam has set, and the HFW preserving book is off to the charity shop. I'm all the more chuffed as this year it was with my own strawberries, so the pressure was on not to ruin them.

Five jars in total from 1kg of strawberries. The fruit has risen to the top of the jars which is all the wife's fault as she worried me by telling me it would continue to cook in the pan so it could burn still. As a result I put it in the jars far too soon, but to be honest I don't care and I don't anticipate the jars lasting too long anyway!

First jam of the year too, bit slow getting going with it this year, but I always think of my grandmother when I make jam. I was given the preserving pan after she died - this one used to be my Mum's and she kept her Mum's, so it was a kinda inheritance. I like to think my grandmother would be pleased with the result, maybe not up to her standard yet, but I'm sure she'd be smiling at the thought of me making jam though!