johnny jump-up jam

Things have been a bit quieter here than I’d like, but to make up for it, I made you some jam. And not just any jam, flower jam. Fragrant, light, and somehow exactly what you might imagine it was like to eat flowers.

But first, a note on the quiet. Things have been a bit crazy here at Brooklyn Supper headquarters. We’re expecting a new baby in less than month, and so we’ve been busy accounting for tiny socks, folding tiny laundry, and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. To be fair, that’s mostly what Brian has been doing while I am increasingly down for the count on the couch.

Luckily, we’re nearly organized, but we do have a fair share of minor building and repair projects left to do (gulp). So I know you’ll be understanding over the next few weeks as we gear up for the new baby’s arrival. We’ll keep you posted on any developments, but in the meantime, we might not be as chatty.

So, let’s eat some flowers, shall we? We made our small batch of jam with Johnny jump-ups which are an adorably named member of the pansy family. When looking for edible flowers to eat, be sure yours are from a reputable source, and that you’re positive they’re edible.

A note on Pamona’s pectin: this is my preferred pectin, and it uses pectin and calcium water, and it gels with less sugar than other pectins. If you are using your own favorite pectin, just follow their instruction for this amount of flower jam.

A note on canning: If you are unfamiliar with the basics of canning, please refer to the USDA website for safety and health information.

Johnny Jump-Up Jam (adapted from The 3 Foragers)
makes roughly eight 4 oz. jars

for the flower infusion
1 cup packed johnny jump ups
2 cups water

for the jam
2 cups flower infusion
6 tablespoons lime juice
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons Pamona’s pectin
1 teaspoon Pamona’s calcium water

Remove the green stems form the flowers. Bring the water to a boil and pour over the flowers. Allow the mixture to cool, and then cover and let steep overnight in the refrigerator.

Wash and sterilize your jars, rims, and lids.

Stick a few tablespoons in your freezer to chill. Combine the flower infusion, lime juice, and sugar and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the pectin, and bring back up to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Remove a frozen spoon from the freezer and check that the jam has gelled by placing a dollop on the spoon and pressing it with you finger. If the jam wrinkles up and is not runny, it has enough pectin, other wise you may want to add a little more.

When your jam is the right consistency, pour the hot mixture into the jars, wipe the rims, and seal. Process for 10 minutes in rapidly boiling water. Remove from water and wait for the magic and wonderful popping sound.