concord grape jam

i spent a large portion of my summer packing food away like aesop's ant. my csa provided a hefty variety this year and i supplemented with fruit and veggies from my local farmer's market. i was determined to have a store of local food for the winter.

this summer was my first foray into the world of canning. i'd always wanted to try it and i'm happy to report that it isn't as hard as i thought it would be. the national center for home food preservation is a great resource for how-to's and safety tips. the blog well preserved also has a wealth of canning information and recipes.

i got this recipe from the blue chair jam cookbook. i adapted the recipe to make a super-small batch and i liked the jam so much that i made a second small batch. i highly recommend eating this luxurious jam on a homemade biscuit.

1 lb concord grapes

1 cup turbinado sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon orange juice

1/4 teaspoon orange zest

peel and deseed grapes - save the peels discard the seeds. heat the grape pulp over medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes. add peels and remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. cook for 25-30 minutes until the jam starts to thicken, stirring frequently.

to test whether the jam is done, place a small spoonful of the jam on a frozen plate and return the plate to the freezer for 1-2 minutes. remove the plate and press the jam with your finger. martha says that the jam should wrinkle.