Strawberry jam not like it used to be

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Whatever has happened to Strawberry Jam in this day and age?  At one time you could go to a supermarket and buy posh jam - conserve, or preserve, or whatever it's called.  Inside, you'd get lots of lumps of strawberry - a bit like the jam my mum used to make.  OK, it's a bit (a lot) pricier than the Robinson's or Hartleys cheapo varieties.

But that's half the fun of getting good jam.  You don't know what you're going to get on your knife when you plunge it into the jar.  Will it be jelly that slips off the knife onto the worktop, back into the jar, or onto the floor or down your front?  Wherever it drops, it never seems to be on the bread.  Or will it be a hard bobble of strawberry that stubbonly burrows it's way into the bread and refuses to budge.

Now, all the posh jams are like the cheaper varieties - just a rich tasting jelly

Now, all the posh jams are like the cheaper varieties - just a rich tasting jelly.  That's not what I'd expect from posh jam.  Now I'm forced to buy Plum or Blackcurrant, which does have bits of fruit skin in it.  I did discover one good strawberry jam though - Little Scarlet.  I can quite understand why it's called that - you go bright red with shock when you read the price tag.  Surely, I shouldn’t have to fork out over £3.45, YES, THAT'S £3.45 for a jar of strawberry jam.

Well, at least I've found a decent variety, so there's something to be said about that.  But I didn't think I'd need to remortgage the house to pay for it.  To make matters worse, I've got four jars of posh Strawberry jam in my fridge - all half eaten - because I was heartily fed up with sticking my knife into them and all I was getting was JELLY!  JELLY!  JELLY!  AAAAHHH!  Now I know how oil companies feel when they invest millions of pounds in offshore drilling and discover a dry hole.

So, a message to you jam makers out there.  I'm starting a campaign called 'It's Jam, Not Gravy We Want Lumps.'  A lumpless strawberry jam is more than adequate proof to me that Englishness is going down the toilet and, let’s face it, we Anglos do need to preserve… or conserve…. our culture.  Otherwise, we will eventually be forced to eat scones and cream with no strawberry jam.  The end of cream teas is the end of Englishness, as we know it.  That won’t do at all.  You can see me picketing outside Downing Street, wearing a white T shirt with a strawberry on the front.

You are all welcome to join me.

By: Jammy Bun

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Samson (Delilah's too busy to post)

A little boys down is when the first domino laid is a 5-4. They score 3 from it but the most that can be scored off it is 2. It's a safe start and known traditionally as a little boys down. I guess it is a reference to a difference between a boys game and a mans game. I've no idea where it originated but it was commonly known in our local league.

30/09/14 Samson (Delilah's too busy to post)

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boblet

Samson (Delilah' - You just know they'll start with a little boys down! ??? Do tell.

30/09/14 boblet

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Samson (Delilah's too busy to post)

Ah, a good game of fives and threes. You just know they'll start with a little boys down!

30/09/14 Samson (Delilah's too busy to post)

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boblet

Not tonight S me & the bride have a domino match, then it is a fives & Three's match on Tuesday, our social calendar is chocker.

30/09/14 boblet

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Samson (Delilah's too busy to post)

Quiet night at home alone there Boblet? ;-)

30/09/14 Samson (Delilah's too busy to post)

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boblet

Why put it mildly? . I went on a strawberry hunt. We tethered a strawberry to a steak in the ground. A bloody great flan came along & gobbled it up. We squirted double cream at it, but to no avail. The poor flan was killed & eaten by a gang of vegans. We lit a fire & barbied the steak. Life goes on. C.

29/09/14 boblet

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collar

Some interesting points raised...but should point out that its large jam food makers who make in bulk, not Nan. Her's is done in small batches not mass produced. I'm not giving out any more recipes for this reason, and have been eating Nan's jam food since I was 9. I'm now 55 so I can't even remember what it tastes like. I don't force the jam food on my kids as they are into vegetarianism to put it mildly. Anyone should not do this because its just plain bad manners to do so. I come from a family whose background is in the jam food making and preserving industries. I know too much about the conditions that jam food is made in factorys to eat it. If I'm going to eat at someones house I always offer to bring my own jam food or whatever but I do insist they be spread seperately to any factory jam food. Either that or I eat everything but the jam food...mmm pass that damson conserve Nan.

29/09/14 collar

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boblet

What recipe for strawberry jam was that? C. Has your nan had her conveyer belt removed? It must have been very painful. Why does she sit on a supermarket shelf all day? drinking liquor, you should look after her better. When I visualize the poor dear crouched on a supermarket shelf, swigging apricot brandy, my estimation of you sinks. Is she a qualified forklift driver? I hope you realize that if she has been on the grog she should not be driving a forklift.

29/09/14 boblet

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collar

Well Boblet, this recipe for Strawberry jam food was given to Collar by his dear old Nan. (god rest her soul) Kindly harken my good man - for this is the last jam food recipe I intend to post, it is in my opinion the best one, and against which all others shall be judged and no doubt found sadly wanting. First let's get one thing cleared up - most processed food like apricot jam is mass produced in huge factories. Do not believe the 'home-made' hype that some jammers claim.
I have worked in these factories where apricot jam food is made. Huge saucepansful of water and apricots and tons of bags of sugar, and 'coloring' are added to make it appear yellow because there is nothing much in the stewing of fruits to give it color. Vast conveyer belts move the product thru each stage, and then fork-lifted to massive warehouses where it awaits to be loaded onto convoys of supermarket lorrys.

Following this cooking a 'cooling' and 'setting' process of the items and finally tipping into jam-jars (warmed slightly first to stop them becoming damaged off the hot jam food mixture) Once these have 'settled' they go out to spend most of their life 'sitting' on the supermarket shelf . If we continue to my Nan's recipe , it is all done in a much 'smaller' batch with proper fruit and sugar which contains Pectin and cooked for longer in a thick based saucepan. The resulting liqueur once cooled slightly is place straight into the cleaned jam-jars, and the tops are put on to keep the product very fresh. Labels can be placed upon the jam-jars denoting flavor e.g. - strawberry, plums, damson or apricots.
I don't care what they say, one cannot beat homemade jam for flavor, taste and appearance.

27/09/14 collar

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boblet

C. I am still trying valiantly to understand your post's. You haven't given us any recipes yet. The actual day you make a balls of jam producing is irrelevant. However using the correct sugar is not, service station sugar does cut the mustard, you need to use jam making sugar or pectin in order to achieve a set. Let us be clear, I do not mean a set as in your shampoo & set, or your false teeth. A jam set is achieved by a boil, (not on your @rse I might add). this can be quite tricky without a thick based pan, again a thick based pan, not a thick base jam maker.

26/09/14 boblet

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collar

I recently tried a small batch of damson jam, purchased the fruit and preserver and jam-jars my wife helped when on her break, back up the shop (forgot sugar) from a service station as shops were shut ( possibly Wednesday ) and the sweetener was said to be made by a small independent company. After cooking the damsons I looked in the big pot and It was filled with a syrupy goo which was lacking something, so more water and sugar there was no fruit pieces in it at all, just this horrid jelly. The problem was not enough damsons so rectified this at once, in this country most folk will not make their own jam, also the people who make things like this are not too clean so I would be wary, once cooked it went in the jam jars and was allowed to cool.
At the moment I am not able to get out of the house to get more fruit and sugar and jam-jars.
If we had more goes, I will let you have some more recipes.

26/09/14 collar

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boblet

C. I used to have a plum tree & did indeed make jam. When talking to a local GP of my attempts to pollinate my plums in order to increase the crop, he suggested dangling them in a saucer of very cold water.

25/09/14 boblet

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collar

A Traditional jam jar recipe takes 12lb of fruit 3 packets of sugar and 3 small cups of preserver (all appropriately prepared) and placed in a big pot covered with water and cooked slowly on the hob of the stove until tender. I once when young worked for 'Elsenham jam' near to Tiptrees and add that I enjoyed it very much. Allow to cool. prepare the jam jars (Bought or re-cycled) 3" wide at the top, cut the plastic circles and and place around top then add the fruit liquer and cover with jam-jar lids (don't cut hole on top of jam-jar). Use any left over fruit to make a fruit pie. Return to pantry and store in a cool, dry place for 2 weeks. (or until set) Serve with bread and butter fresh from the dairy and toast (or whatever) the traditional jam has lumps at least four or six, and should show fruit seeds when cut.

25/09/14 collar

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treecreeper

IS EVERYONE IN MACDONALDS DEA?

I will have a breakfast please. (big breakfast sir) yea a breakfast. you dont do a small breakfast , do you. (no sir) well I will have a big one then. even though its the only breakfast you sell.

Can I have a fishburger, (a fillet o fish sir.) yes a fishburger, you only sell one type of fishburger ,do you not. (yes sir) a fishburger it is then

23/09/14 treecreeper

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Jammy GB

Try Just Like It Used To Be Jams and Marmalades - they really do taste just like they used to!

22/01/12 Jammy GB

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