blueberry-rhubarb margarita jam

weekly

i drive past a blueberry farm

most days

wishing for the season

some days

mourning the end of summer

the day the

open sign pops up

on our little stretch of highway

i stop in

continuing my routine

each week

until blueberries are no more

i hoard

more berries than our small family can eat, out of hand

but not more than we can eat, prepared

i love to pair sweet blueberries with rhubarb from our garden

for this delicious

not too sweet

jam

 blueberry rhubarb margarita jam

3 pints blueberries

8 oz rhubarb--chopped

2 cups granulated sugar

juice of 10 key limes

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ginger

juice of 1/2 grapefruit (plus/minus)

1 oz tequila (can add up to 2 oz)

dump blueberries rhubarb, sugar, key lime juice, salt and ginger into your jam pot.  Cook on med-low heat, stirring occasionally, until you have a nice jam consistency (about 25-30 minutes).  taste for sweetness.  add at least 1/4 grapefruit juice to both adjust sweetness and for flavor.  cook for 5 more minutes and check again for sweetness. add more grapefruit if desired. pour in tequila and cook at least 5 minutes more.

test jam for firmness on a frozen plate. **i like my jam to be a bit runny.  you do not need pectin for this jam to firm up.  you can cook it to come out firmer, but be careful not to caramelize it.

place in sterilized jars and refrigerate or if you are a seasoned canner, process for longer storage.

blueberry jam

many moons ago

before

california was infested with the fruit fly

before

malathion filled planes "crop-dusted" the streets of los angeles

before

carry-on bags were limited

my mom and i flew

from

portland to los angeles

with two toddlers (hers not mine)

and

an overhead compartment

loaded with cases of berries

we spent the next several days

filling decorative glasses

with  paraffin sealed

jewel colored jam

it is a cherished memory

i still enjoy making confiture

but now i fill my pantry

instead of

an overhead bin

blueberry jam
(printable recipe)

4 cups blueberries

3 cups sugar

2 Tbs key lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 pouch liquid pectin

mash the blueberries and place in a heavy pot. add the sugar, salt and key lime juice.  bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer about 5 minutes.  increase heat and bring to a boil. stir in the pectin and boil for a full 60 seconds.  turn off heat and place in sterilized jars.  process for long term storage as necessary. *this is a small batch, so you may choose to keep in a jar in the fridge for your daily use. it is also delicious in my homemade pop-tarts

silver dollar blues

i have always loved the

idea of pancakes

the word itself

invokes lazy saturdays

sleep overs

and

summer camp

but when it comes right down to it

i don't really love them

here's the deal

i am not 

a fluffy pancake

kinda gal

i like 'em kinda flat

with a bit of crunch on the outskirts

and a bit

sour

not. so. popular

while i am airing my pancake laundry

here's another thing....

i love blueberries

but i don't love them in a pancake

there is something about that warm, but not really cooked

feeling in my mouth

that turns me off

you too?

this morning

i woke up

with complete decision

i was going to make a blueberry pancake 

i would eat

that

would still be blog-worthy

these are silver dollar shaped

because

they are MONEY baby

whole-wheat-oatmeal-blueberry pancakes
(printable recipe)

blueberry sauce

1 cup blueberries

2 tsp sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

whirl in a food processor or blender to a puree

set aside until ready to make pancakes

pancake batter

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbs unsalted butter--melted and cooled

mix all ingredients together--gently.  i like to let my batter sit for about 1/2 hour before using...but you can dig right in, if you like. the batter is a bit runny, to make a bit of a flatter pancake...you can use less or more buttermilk if you like.

when you cook your pancakes....put a bit of batter in a hot buttered, sprayed or oiled skillet (whichever you prefer), then a few dots of the blueberry puree. using a toothpick or knife, swirl the blueberry into a design or just enough to incorporate it into the batter. if you don't, then you will have a blob of blueberry that will most likely burn when you turn the pancake over.

serve with maple or sorghum syrup...or for something really yummy---your favorite honey.