Jamming with Mum

Yes, jamming literally.... 

We took advantage of the school holidays to go back to Mum's place for a short break.  All of us (including doggie because there's so much more space for her to runaround) always enjoy our time there.  Besides the pampering from folks, being in a laid back town is already a wonderful way to relax and unwind.  Simple lifestyle amidst  a more serene and green environment.      Kiddo loves it very much too (maybe he's a kampung boy at heart), it is where he gets his back to nature experiences.  He will ask grandpa to bring him around on a motorbike to visit nearby villages, farms and fishing ponds.  Often they come back with goodies like freshly pluck fruits or vegetables.  I really love this bond that the both of them share.

While kiddo enjoys his time with dad, me and my mum had our share of fun too.  This time around we made apple jam with this big bag of granny smith apples that she bought at a bargain.   

Mum helped me find the props used in the photos.  I hope the yesteryear feel in the photo came through :)    Some pretty old stuff here, besides the jam and the apples of course :)  The cross-stitched table cloth with the cute duckies is a gift my mum got from her student 40 years back!  That band around the bottle, old but not as old as the table cloth, is actually a beach wear accessory from Aloha land some 10 years ago.  It was among other stuff that we had left behind after leaving the nest but Mum never threw or gave them away instead continue keeping them well for us.  Stuff that have been forgotten but still evoking beautiful memories when they appear in front of our eyes again.  Thank you, Mum!  

Although I made reference to some recipes and there are lots out there, we didn't follow any to a T.   Basically, recipes for fruit jams are quite similar, key ingredients being the fruit, water and sugar which are then cooked until fruit is soften with a thicken consistency.  But when apples are used, there is a slight difference.  Some recipes call for blending/pressing of the apples through a sieve while other don't after the apples are soften.   After tasting it, I decided to go through the extra step by pressing them through a sieve as there was this grainy feel to it.

We loved the end result, one bottle for Mum and one for me.   One has got to make your own jam to know the difference between homemade and off the shelf ones.  It's much much more fruity and so much less sweet compared to off the shelf ones.   Good with bread, crackers, as fillings for buns or served on the side with pancakes or even roast.

Recipe

Reference : A Table for 2 or More and The Temptations

Ingredients

• 1kg granny smith apples
• 15 tbsp sugar (after 13 tbsp, add on per tablespoon basis to taste)
• 400ml water
• 2 pieces of 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice from half a lemon

Steps

1. Cut apple into chunks.  Put apples and water into a pot.  Bring water to a boil then allow to simmer until apples are soft.
2. Press apple pieces through a sieve and discard skin.
3. Put the puree back into the pot then add in sugar, lemon zest, juice and spices.  
4. Put a saucer (to be used for checking if jam is ready) into the freezer.  Cook until thicken.  
5. To check if jam is ready, place a spoonful of jam on saucer.  It if forms a blob instead of spreading out, it's ready.
6. Pour jam into sterilised bottles.  Place the cap on and let it cool down.