My Own CanJam Berry Roundup

Did you think I forgot about berries so soon?  Oh no! Fear not.  With berry season finally upon those of us in the Pacific Northwest, I am just getting warmed up. 

Starting it all off was the Peppery Strawberry Vinegar. 

Last night was for homemade Strawberry Ice Cream and Strawberry-Gin Mintini’s (served in tumblers, of course).  I finished mixing up some Strawberry Liqueur that is now in the freezer waiting for the perfect début.  This weekend there will be Strawberry Clafouti, Pound Cake with Vanilla Buttercream & Fresh Strawberries and maybe, just maybe, a Berry Buttermilk Cake.  Maybe I’ll go nuts and try a berry kombucha. Did you know that raw kombucha got removed from store shelves?  Yes, it is true!  No time like the present to get making your own.

Lest you think it’s all dessert & booze around here, I did make a raw kale salad and radish slaw.  There will also be Spring Vegetable Tortellini Salad with Preserved Lemons. And some other stuff. I don’t know what yet, but most definitely some other stuff.

 Anyway, it just wouldn’t be right to keep my favorite Can Jam links to myself.   For the full Tigress Round up go here– otherwise plow on ahead!

• Toronto Tasting Notes made Strawberry Jam with Balsamic Vinegar & Black Pepper. Strawberries and balsamic are a classic combo and black pepper is, well, awesome with anything.  Must try!  She also included a link to a great sounded Strawberry Lemon Marmalade that sounds great. 
• Café Del Manolo did Cerejas de Aguardente.  Cherries for use on ice cream.  Or in a cocktail.  Or, I imagine, straight from the jar. 
• Leena Eats made Chinese Five Spice Pickled Cherries. I must have these. Kind of now.  Come on cherries!
• Backyard Farms made Drunken Cherries.  Apparently I am on a cherry kick.  Who knew?  I love cherries. I will eat them till I’m sick.
• Hip Girls Guide to Homemaking made Sweet Cherry Basil Preserves (which she spread on top of cream cheese topping & shortcake).  She also discussed making microbatches and Strawberry-Cherry Preserves.
• Sugarcrafter made some Sweet Cherry Jam (with cinnamon, cardamom and rum!)
• Slow Food Chef’s entry almost screamed at me!  Blackberry Blueberry Port Wine Jam.   Which read to me more like “BLACKBERRIES!  BLUEBERRIES!  Not enough?  Well then how about some PORT too?”  Sounds heavenly!
• Flamingo Musing posted several things, but what caught my eye was the Blueberry Marmalade. What can I say?  I love blueberries and I love citrus!
• Food in Jars put up some (Slow Cooker) Blueberry Butter.  It not only looks amazing, but using the slow cooker? Genius!   I want to try this and experiment with the method for strawberry or cherry butter. 
• What Julia Ate is Mulberry Rhubarb Lemon Jam.  Now, I don’t know about you, but I have never tasted a mulberry nor climbed a mulberry tree… but now I want too.  A gorgeous looking jam.
• Married with Dinner tried some different and added bitters to her jam!  Never would have thought of that…but brilliant! Tayberry-Peychaud Preserves is what they came up with.
• Mother’s Kitchen made some basic Berry Jam (Strawberry, Blueberry or Raspberry).   Definitely don’t overlook this post as she has a great run down on pectin use…a topic I had been curious about but too lazy too research myself.
• Hitchhiking to Heaven went for the gusto and did a Tayberry Jam (here) and Cherry Meyer Lemon Preserves.  Sounds like cherry heaven.

I don’t know about you, but berries seem like the perfect jumpstart into summer and I’m already dreaming of more cherries, peaches, plums and apricots.  Mmm!

But first, there will be cucumbers.