In article >,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> In about half an hour I'm off for a jam-making consultation! As a
> result of the story in the MN Women's Press, I had a phone call from
> a woman who wants to pick my brain. I've been working on a
> PowerPoint presentation for a week and a half and I'm rather proud of
> it. I'm bringing an offering for dear auld St. Pec, too. Now, I
> gotta find my pearls! Dang!

>
> Stay tuned. Camera's on my list, too.

Well, shoot me! My camera was with me and I never used it. We were too
busy. My students and I made some "Regal Raspberry Jam" from frozen
wild raspberries. It was delicious.

It was a fun experience. Student C has a PhD in *Food Science*; her
friend, Student M, is an artist. C appreciates and understands and
appreciates the science of it; M wants to know how to tinker with the
basics. :-) They've made jam before but not with the best success,
apparently -- floating fruit. Both wanted to see how I made jam and
wanted to get some tips for success. My handouts were pretty good, if
I do say so, and they said they were helpful.

The handouts covered the four necessary components of good jam;
explanations of the different categories of preserves; a few trustworthy
resources, a page of tips. Thirteen PowerPoint slide pages. Rob (my
in-house PP weenie) was very proud of me.

They had good questions, too. I'd been to Fleet Farm the day before
and picked up some canning tools and a BBB for each of them. They were
appreciative of that and I'm glad I did it. It helped me decide what's
really necessary equipment -- a canning funnel and a jar lifter/jar
tongs. I brought along my waterbath vessel and we used it. C's
"official" canner was too big for the task -- the small half pint jars
didn't fit properly on its divided rack.

Before we began, I set up a little altar to St. Pectina of Jella and
laid an offering of Halloween candies at her feet. And I couldn't find
my pearl necklace, so I "made do" with my 36" string of Czechoslovakian
cut crystals. C, her husband, and M were very impressed.

I don't think I let us down, guys. :-) I think you'd have been proud.
(And I'm really sorry I forgot to take pictures!)
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 10-09-04; Sam I Am!.
"Peace will come when the power of love overcomes the love of power."
-Jimi Hendrix, and Lt. Joe Corcoran, Retired; St. Paul PD, Homicide Divn.