ELDERBERRY FEST 2018, PART 2

We were both up early Saturday morning (Oct. 20), and Mike left for a half-day hunting excursion at 6:30. I admit that I was slow to start the jelly-making process. One can’t rush these things. Organization is key.

Here at the town house, I had to make due with regular kitchen utensils because all of my jelly-making equipment is in storage at the farmhouse. I did find pectin and lids there, though, and brought them back. I had plenty of jars in town, and also a large stockpot. It will have to serve dual duty for cooking the jelly and processing the jars. It’s tall rather than wide and works well on my flat-top stove. I’m glad I have it.

After preparing the kitchen, I went to the store for lemons. Fresh lemon juice is a must.

You’d think by now I’d know how to make elderberry jelly, but I don’t remember from year to year. I have made some notes, but those are also in storage. Looking over available pectin brands, I decided to stick with traditional Sure-Jell. I’m interested in the retro experience of jelly-making rather than modern experimentation with texture and flavor.

I added very little water to the berries when I cooked them, and in the end, I had about five cups of juice. I needed three cups of juice per batch, so I stretched it with apple juice concentrate and a little water. I could hear my mother saying, “Your measurements must be exact. Any deviation and you risk that your jelly won’t set.” Daddy was less careful, and she disapproved, but he knew – as do I – that you can get away with quite a lot of variation. And your jelly might not set even if you’re very careful.

Working alone, I took care to have everything in readiness – jars and lids clean and sterilized, sugar measured, ladle available, etc. Then I set to work cooking the juice according to the Sure-Jell recipe. I was impressed with how quickly it boiled here at sea level as compared with the farm at 2500 feet. I was finished in no time and loading the hot jars with the super-hot liquid.

Next, I had to wash the stockpot so that I could process the filled jars in a hot water bath. We boil for ten minutes on the farm – just five here in town. I hope it was long enough. I hope they sealed.

I did this twice, making two batches of five half-pint jars each. Mike and I sampled it at supper last night. It’s not easily spreadable, but it tastes like elderberry jelly. what more did we want?

“Look at all that jelly,” Mike commented. But actually, by the time I donate a couple of jars to the P.E.O. silent auction and give away a few, it’s not so much. If I had the chance, I might pick more berries.

Mike came home with a couple of pheasants, one of which we cooked in the crockpot and added to spaghetti sauce for supper.

And with that, the 2018 Elderberry Fest came to an official, if unceremonious, close. I took all the awards. KW