Monday we went strawberry picking with friends, as we do every year. When the season hits we schedule a trip. So if you do want to pick your local strawberries you have to make sure you seize the season.
Sure you can eat them au natural or put them in a salad. And of course eat them with ice cream. Another great and simple way to serve them is with balsamic vinegar it sounds strange but it taste so good and it is so easy to do.
We always love to make Strawberry Shortcake (Norwegian style) for Canadian and American friends, – always a success.
Yesterday we made Strawberry and rhubarb (from our garden) pie
Make “Summer in a jar”
We make jam every year after our strawberry picking it is so nice to open a jar in the middle of the winter and be reminded of the wonderful days of summer. If you are new to canning it might be good to read a few tips on canning
I usually use this recipe by Pick Your Own, strawberry jam with pectin
For a while I have been looking for a recipe with less sugar, my friend Suz in Slow family Online suggested to use low-methoxyl pectin and told me about Pomona It allows you to make jam with half the sugar of conventional jam. I will try this next time.
Another friend of mine Emily did share her recipe without pectin and a little sugar, it does taste great.
Emily’s Strawberry Jam
2 pounds (900 gr) strawberries (mashed)
1/4 cup (1 dl) lemon juice
3 (6.5 dl) cups of sugar
Start with crushing the strawberries, adding lemon juice then sugar on a low heat, until sugar is dissolved and then get a rolling boil going until the liquid turns dark and then you jar them and put them in a water bath (boiled water) to set.
Kids like to help out too, just be cautious with the heat and be patient, my 6 year old was eager to help out making jam and was so excited giving a “jar of summer “to her teacher as a gift.
