Strawberry Jalapeno Jam

Last weekend our Community Choir had a Family Day with lots of food, visiting and singing. The Horn Player happens to be our fearless Director and he used our party to discuss the next concert. Great time we had, y'all. I love our choir buddies. 

I mentioned we had food, and really good food at that. My contribution was a punch bowl full of chilled Watermelon, Grapes, Cantaloupe, Strawberries and Pineapple. I knew that would satisfy the need to cool down from the Louisiana summer evening. All of the fruit was fresh and incredibly sweet. It only needed to be cut into bite sized pieces, tossed into my punch bowl to become acquainted with one another, then into the chill chest for a cool down. Divine! Good summer fruit needs nothing more.

As it turned out I bought too many strawberries, which is a nice problem to have. Today I made, with my excess berries, an appetizer jam. Strawberry Jalapeno Jam to be served over cream cheese with butter crackers for spreading.

2 heaping cups sliced strawberries

2 or 3 seeded, finely diced jalapeno peppers

2-1/2 cups sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lime

Pinch of salt

A few berries and peppers washed and ready to be sliced.

All the ingredients in a sauce pot

Beautiful

We're cookin' now. Cook the berries at a low boil, stirring frequently, for about an hour to thicken the syrup. Do not overcook. Test by placing a drop of syrup onto a plate, then allow it to cool to check the consistency. This does not have artificial pectin added, but it will cook down to a nice jammy thickness.

When the syrup has cooked down sufficiently, remove the foam from the top of the jam and discard.

Memory spoon. Mammy's old jelly spoon and a dish Mama gave me that I now use as a spoon rest. Both old and dear to me.

Ta Da!

I added some green onions to the top. The Horn Player and My Child loved it. This would be a nice holiday appetizer. Green and Red and all that.

We ate about 1/3 of this pint jar and I put the rest in the fridge. It should last for a short time in the fridge, a week or so I'd say. That is, unless it's gone before then.