Apple and Strawberry jam with Blueberries

Apple and Strawberry jam with Blueberries

Each time I discuss with Seeteez something new in pastry that completely stumped me, he does not fail to remind me of my blog which is lying in limbo. That big boy can never get convinced if I plainly tell him I have no natural talent for writing and food blogging is all about beautiful writing, food styling, photography and keeping up with the trends happening in some very popular blogs all around the world. The truth is I have a lot to share. My life is practically revolving around butter, sugar, flour, eggs and chocolate and I am loving every sweet bit of it.

Without much ado I would like to tell you guys that I am now working as a trainee at a bakeshop which has been selling fantastic breads for the last 55 years. Its been two months working in a professional pastry kitchen and boy oh boy this did some wonders to my speed. 5 hours is what i spend working at the bakeshop shaping loaves, creaming butter and sugar, separating 60 eggs for a meringue and peeping into massive ovens with a crinkly face. After a snoozy local train ride I am back home ogling at food blogs and baking in my brothers adorable kitchen by the big window which truly is a spa treatment for the mind.  Every time i am close to finishing my bakery ingredients i  ever so happily make a trip to RUN to Crawford market. When I am there I’m untouched by all the melee. it’s the variety of dry fruits from macadamia to Turkish hazelnuts, cream cheese and cheddar at discounted prices, fresh herbs and my love bordering on obsession with fruits that makes this place a Medina of sorts for me.

Couple of weeks back I was insanely scouting the food blogs for recipes on homemade jam, after hours of searching I was totally lost with the whole canning process. The difference in sugar content, addition of pectin and other preservatives did little to comfort me. For that week since I was so pumped about jam making, I made Strawberry and Apple jam with Blueberries. I used this recipe from my good old trusted source, the jam turned out beautiful ruby red with every flavor being high and distinct and thus continuing my quest for good homemade jams led me to this book. This is my first book on jams and canning , it is terrific in the sense that it takes away all the mystery from canning and makes the whole jam making process a simple 4 stepped one.  More on this and jam recipes in my next post.