The Only Newsletter I Care About This Week
The only link that I care about this week:
A link that I feel so passionately about, that simply sending it out in a group text to my besties just isn't going to cut it.
Me in 2025, after four more years of quarantining.
(Low key, my dream life)
(I would last a week)
The only recipe that I care about this week:
What I've been cooking lately and the accompanying extemporaneous thoughts, dedicated to my friend Beth.
Very Easy Blueberry Jam
For when you want to pretend that you live off the grid in a Fäbod in Sweden and regularly make blueberry jam.
Or for when you particularly miss your friend, Susie.
600 g of Blueberries
400 g of Sugar
1 T Lemon Juice
Wash the blueberries in a colander. Make sure you pick off all of the little baby stems that are still on a few of the berries. You think you're being chill and super low maintenance by leaving them on, but they're pokier than you think and will piss you off tomorrow morning when you're eating your toast and then start to taste blood because one of the little buggers has cut your mouth. Hypothetically speaking.
Grab a small dessert plate and stick it in your freezer. You'll need it later.
Put the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice into a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Over a medium low heat, slowly dissolve the sugar crystals, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time. A great few minutes to stare blankly at the wall and get lost in your thoughts, like in an indie movie.
As the sugar starts to melt and the fruit warms up take the back of a the wooden spoon and mash the blueberries, leaving some whole, if that's your jam ;)
Once the sugar has completely dissolved turn up the heat and bring the pan to a rolling boil for 15 minutes, stirring fairly often. Boiling sugar always feels a little scary to me, but in this case, with the amount of juicy goodness the blueberries are packing, you shouldn't have a sticky mess on your hands (like if you were making something like caramel or toffee).
Take the pan off the heat and test a few drops of the jam on the frozen plate. Put the plate in the fridge for a minute. If when you push your finger through it the jam forms a crinkle and is gel like then it’s ready. If not, boil for another couple of minutes and repeat process until ready. CAUTION: This is one of those 'fine line' moments because if you boil it for too long, the jam will get a sort of grainy texture and be a little too thick. Remember, the jam will thicken a bit when it's not at a boiling temperature so, consider that when you're testing.
While the jam is still hot, pour it into a sterilized jar (google for more info) and screw on the lid. The heat should help in vacuum sealing the jam for safe keeping.
Enjoy with your morning toast!
Or, enjoy as my friend Susie does: from a bowl, with a spoon.
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plus a little more!
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Not much to say this week... hope you're hanging in there.
Happy Thursday!