From the first fruits and vegetables of spring – think strawberries and rhubarb – to the last hard squash of fall, you will find me at some point during every week in the kitchen with my preserving pots or pickling crocks.   I don’t really have room to store all that I preserve so a great deal of my “putting by” goes to friends.  I have been doing this for as long as I can remember; it seems to keep me connected to my past as well as help me stay tied to the land since I am not much of a gardener.  I certainly don’t do it to save money as often my cost – particularly when buying organic from the farmers market – is more than the expense of the commercial counterpart.  But, I do so love the whole process, particularly when I have the opportunity to pick the produce myself.  I love the solitude of wandering through the woods filling a bucket with wild berries or sitting in the middle row of a friend’s garden picking beans or peas in the hot sun.  All this to say that this week was the final push to pack up the last of the local strawberries and rhubarb.  Using the last bit of rhubarb, I made a small batch of my near-to-my-heart, almost-daughter’s favorite – Annie McDonagh’s Rhubarb-Ginger Jam.  If you are so inclined you can find the recipe in Gourmet Preserves an old book of mine, now out of print, but usually available on Amazon.  If you can’t find it, let me know and I’ll send you the recipe.

Black Forest Preserves

Makes six ½ pint jars

Although great on toast – especially rye toast, these preserves are even better as a dessert topping or as a filling for a luscious Black Forest Cake.

4 ½ cups pitted and halved fresh Bing cherries

¼ cup kirschwasser

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

3¼ cups sugar

1 box powdered fruit pectin

Place the cherries, lemon juice, and kirschwasser in a large, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive saucepan, stirring to blend well.

Combine ¾ cup of the sugar with the pectin and, when blended, stir into the cherry mixture.  Place over high heat and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil.

When the mixture comes to a hard, rolling boil, add the remaining sugar.  Stirring constantly, again bring to a hard, rolling boil.  Boil for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat, skim off any foam that has formed, and immediately pour into hot, sterilized jars.  Cover with hot, sterilized lids and screw on the caps.  (If you don’t want to bother with the hot jar thing, just pour into clean containers, cover, cool, and refrigerate for up to one month.)

Turn the jars upside down to cool.  When cool, store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.