Friday, October 18, 2013

Blueberry Apple Jam


My friend, Janelle, is up to something. Something big! I had the pleasure of meeting Janelle a couple of years ago and have since followed her blog, Talk of Tomatoes. I’ve also tracked the progress of the awesome urban farm she is creating with her family in Seattle.  Janelle is warm, gracious and talented. And she drives the coolest truck ever! Now she’s taken her enthusiasm for eating local food a (huge) step further and started Farmstr.


Farmstr is an online marketplace connecting small farmers directly with consumers in the Pacific Northwest. Janelle is spending time meeting farmers in Washington and Oregon, getting to know their farms and families and helping them promote their sustainable, local produce, eggs and meat to interested buyers (like me!).


Last month, when I was in Seattle for the International Food Bloggers Conference, I picked up ten pounds of beautiful frozen blueberries through Farmstr. The berries are from Bow Hill Blueberries, an organic, family-run farm north of Seattle. Now that October is here, knowing I have this stash of blueberries in my freezer makes me very happy!


This Blueberry Apple Jam is the first thing I made with these luscious berries. The jam combines summer and fall together, honey sweetened blueberry goodness with a fresh bite of autumnal apple. Apples contain natural pectin, so I kept the prep easy and left the peels on which allowed the jam to thicken a bit more. I popped a jar in the fridge for immediate devouring and the other two into the freezer for a later treat.


The next time I’m in Seattle I’ll be picking up forty pounds of squash, which has me very excited for some fall cooking. Farmsr also has honey, potatoes, pears, eggs and chickens available so please check out their site and help spread the word.

Blueberry Apple Jam
Makes 3 half pint jars

2 pounds blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
2 medium apples, cored and diced (keep the peels on)
3/4 cup raw honey

In a large pot, bring the blueberries, apples and honey to a boil and lower to a bubbling simmer. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until it cooks down and thickens into a jammy consistency and apples are soft, about 55-60 minutes. Let cool and ladle into jars. Store the jam in the fridge for up to a month or freeze for future use.

23 comments:

  1. Yum! That looks so good. Nice of you to showcase your friend's amazing ventures! Such a great fall photo!

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    1. Thank you, Amanda! I'm so happy to spotlight Farmstr - Janelle is an inspiration! Now I have a big box of squash to dive into and start cooking. :)

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  2. Sounds fantastic, wish we had something like that here. I love her site and what she is doing. That jam is fantastic, so simple. I also REALLY love that utensil with the pumpkins, seriously autumn and so cute.

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne! I hope Farmstr spreads far and wide - who knows, maybe it'll reach Brooklyn! I picked up the pumpkin spreader a few years ago at Williams Sonoma...I love pulling it out in the fall.

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  3. This jam sounds so good Hannah and perfect for this time of year! I am picking up 40# of winter squash tomorrow from Farmstr and so excited about it!

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    1. Thanks, Alyssa! I hope you have fun cooking up some delicious squash dishes. I can't wait to dive in! Hooray Farmstr!

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  4. Love these simple jam recipes and the natural pectin in apples! We have a company called Farmigo working in the San Jose and New York area doing something similar. It's a whole new market and distribution channel opening up. Exciting!

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    1. It really is an exciting time, Beth! I'm happy to know there are other companies doing similar ventures. I'm delighted we have this option in the Northwest now. :)

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  5. Great concept and what gorgeous berries; I am officially jealous.

    Jam sounds great too; I want to try one VERY similar but with just a touch of heat. 'This Girl is On Fire' is my motto lately. :)

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    1. Oh, love your motto, Barb! Jam with a kick sounds marvelous. I still have some berries left so may try that myself.

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  6. 10 pounds of blueberries - lucky you! Apples and blueberries sound like a perfect early fall match.

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    1. Thanks, Lynda! Now I'm thinking blueberries and apples would make one terrific pie and I still have a few pounds of berries left to play with - happy times!

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  7. That is so many blueberries! Even at high season here the best I'll get is 2x small tubs, I think 150g!, for $5.00!!! So I am very envious of you being able to buy all these berries & make such lovely jam :)

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    1. Opening this box was a thrill, Mairi - we're very fortunate to have access to so many lovely berries here in the Northwest. I'm impressed with Bow Hill and happy they linked up with Farmstr. :)

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  8. Forty pounds of squash will last you for a bit! And 10 pounds of blueberries? You have riches there! Blueberries combine quite well with apples (try some apples in blueberry pie, if you haven't already). This jam looks terrific - thanks.

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    1. Thank you, John! I love your suggestion of blueberry and apple pie and I'll definitely give that a try. And yes, this box of squash will keep me happily cooking for quite a while!

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  9. I made blueberry jam with pectin and sugar this summer. It is an excellent jam but the flavors of honey and apple and without the added pectin is so enticing! An exceptional jam!

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    1. Thank you so much, Deb! Blueberry jam is such a treat and really evokes summer. I hope you still have some of your batch left to enjoy during the winter months!

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  10. Thank you Hannah! Just lovely - the recipes and kind words. So glad to know you!

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    1. My pleasure, Janelle! I'm happy to share about Farmstr - you inspire me.

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  11. rather difficult to find this fruit in the country, that there are only imported fruit or already in the form of jam

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    1. I hope you can find some blueberries, Kyusoku. This jam works well with frozen ones, too.

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