and making strawberry syrup for a change.

i'm hoping the berries will come in well this
year and trying to figure out different things
to do with them than putting up freezer jam
(though i'll certainly be doing some that way).

so for those who have made syrups from fruits
is it simply a matter of crushing/mashing and
then straining and pressing out the juice? or
do they need to be cooked/steamed? or?

also, i'm probably going to try freezing some
berries with some sugar and lemon juice so they
can be used for other things. freezer jam is
good, but it's a bit too sweet and goopy for
putting on cereal...

what are you daydreaming of these days?


songbird

On 2/2/2015 10:30 AM, songbird wrote:
> and making strawberry syrup for a change.
>
> i'm hoping the berries will come in well this
> year and trying to figure out different things
> to do with them than putting up freezer jam
> (though i'll certainly be doing some that way).
>
> so for those who have made syrups from fruits
> is it simply a matter of crushing/mashing and
> then straining and pressing out the juice? or
> do they need to be cooked/steamed? or?
>
> also, i'm probably going to try freezing some
> berries with some sugar and lemon juice so they
> can be used for other things. freezer jam is
> good, but it's a bit too sweet and goopy for
> putting on cereal...
>
> what are you daydreaming of these days?
>
>
> songbird
>
I don't care for strawberries but have found that other berries freeze
nicely when put in a single layer on a bun pan and then into the freezer
for about an hour. Then I take them out and bag them for later use in
jellies, jams, cobblers, pies, and anything else that berries are good
for. I've never made freezer jam probably because it is just as easy for
me to make regular jam in a BWB canner and then store it in the harvest
pantry.

Have never tried to make a berry syrup but it should be easy enough to
find a recipe for canning berry syrup's for long term storage and use.

Yesterday it was 67F in the afternoon, woke up to 38F this morning and a
stiff north wind blowing through. We have chamomile seeds in the TP pots
and they are starting to show through the potting medium. Won't be long
before we are starting the vegetable seeds. Still have two 4X8 beds full
of fall garden but are slowly eating the contents. Need to amend those
beds also.

Another project is building a three by eight raised bed for the
blueberries to grow in. Have the landscape timbers and the required
amount of 1/2 inch rebar two feet long to pin timbers together and the
lot to the ground, just need the energy to get out in the garage and do
it. Have been fighting a cold/flu/whatever for two weeks now, seems to
be letting up but Dear Wife now has it. Bah! Humbug!

George Shirley wrote:
....
> I don't care for strawberries but have found that other berries freeze
> nicely when put in a single layer on a bun pan and then into the freezer
> for about an hour. Then I take them out and bag them for later use in
> jellies, jams, cobblers, pies, and anything else that berries are good
> for. I've never made freezer jam probably because it is just as easy for
> me to make regular jam in a BWB canner and then store it in the harvest
> pantry.

the taste is so different i'm not sure i can
go back to cooked jam again. not when this is
so much easier...

i don't care as much about individual berry
freezing as much as i want to be able to pack
them in jars and freeze them.


> Have never tried to make a berry syrup but it should be easy enough to
> find a recipe for canning berry syrup's for long term storage and use.

yeah, i figure i should be able to find something,
but i don't mind talking about it too.


> Yesterday it was 67F in the afternoon, woke up to 38F this morning and a
> stiff north wind blowing through. We have chamomile seeds in the TP pots
> and they are starting to show through the potting medium. Won't be long
> before we are starting the vegetable seeds. Still have two 4X8 beds full
> of fall garden but are slowly eating the contents. Need to amend those
> beds also.

we had a nice storm for a few days, high winds, cold
and plenty of snow, but the sun is out today, nothing
at all to complain about here. i won't tell you the
temps...


> Another project is building a three by eight raised bed for the
> blueberries to grow in. Have the landscape timbers and the required
> amount of 1/2 inch rebar two feet long to pin timbers together and the
> lot to the ground,

is the chard still going strong?


> just need the energy to get out in the garage and do
> it. Have been fighting a cold/flu/whatever for two weeks now, seems to
> be letting up but Dear Wife now has it. Bah! Humbug!

ah, i sure hope it isn't the same as the crud that
was going on around here. hangs on a while, i've been
trying to kick it since Christmas. take good care of
each other and scritch the dawg for me.


songbird

On 2/2/2015 3:26 PM, songbird wrote:
> George Shirley wrote:
> ...
>> I don't care for strawberries but have found that other berries freeze
>> nicely when put in a single layer on a bun pan and then into the freezer
>> for about an hour. Then I take them out and bag them for later use in
>> jellies, jams, cobblers, pies, and anything else that berries are good
>> for. I've never made freezer jam probably because it is just as easy for
>> me to make regular jam in a BWB canner and then store it in the harvest
>> pantry.
>
> the taste is so different i'm not sure i can
> go back to cooked jam again. not when this is
> so much easier...
>
> i don't care as much about individual berry
> freezing as much as i want to be able to pack
> them in jars and freeze them.
>
>
>> Have never tried to make a berry syrup but it should be easy enough to
>> find a recipe for canning berry syrup's for long term storage and use.
>
> yeah, i figure i should be able to find something,
> but i don't mind talking about it too.
>
>
>> Yesterday it was 67F in the afternoon, woke up to 38F this morning and a
>> stiff north wind blowing through. We have chamomile seeds in the TP pots
>> and they are starting to show through the potting medium. Won't be long
>> before we are starting the vegetable seeds. Still have two 4X8 beds full
>> of fall garden but are slowly eating the contents. Need to amend those
>> beds also.
>
> we had a nice storm for a few days, high winds, cold
> and plenty of snow, but the sun is out today, nothing
> at all to complain about here. i won't tell you the
> temps...
>
>
>> Another project is building a three by eight raised bed for the
>> blueberries to grow in. Have the landscape timbers and the required
>> amount of 1/2 inch rebar two feet long to pin timbers together and the
>> lot to the ground,
>
> is the chard still going strong?
Yeah, darned stuff is nearly two years old and still going like gang
busters. I probably won't even plant chard this spring due to the old
stuff still producing and I have a freezer full of blanched, frozen
chard. We're still trying to eat up all the frozen cauliflower and
broccoli from fall 2012. Good as new as it was all vacuum sealed.
>
>
>> just need the energy to get out in the garage and do
>> it. Have been fighting a cold/flu/whatever for two weeks now, seems to
>> be letting up but Dear Wife now has it. Bah! Humbug!
>
> ah, i sure hope it isn't the same as the crud that
> was going on around here. hangs on a while, i've been
> trying to kick it since Christmas. take good care of
> each other and scritch the dawg for me.
>
>
> songbird
>
I haven't sneezed all day and only a few coughs, slept the night through
last night without waking up strangling or coughing. Wife is snorting,
sneezing, etc. just like I was so put her on same regime of OTC stuff I
used to knock it out. Just seasonal allergies from being cooped up for a
while. Had a HEPA filter system installed a month ago and it apparently
is working and that helps. We have a pine wood behind us plus a field
full of odd weeds and bushes so the HEPA filter should help keep the
dander down. When she walks the dawg she wipes her down with baby wipes
to keep the weed dust off. Getting old is hell but certainly beats the
alternative. To windy and cold out today to work outside and the garage
gets hit by the NE wind so the heck with it.

In article >, songbird
> wrote:

> and making strawberry syrup for a change.
>
> i'm hoping the berries will come in well this
> year and trying to figure out different things
> to do with them than putting up freezer jam
> (though i'll certainly be doing some that way).
>
> so for those who have made syrups from fruits
> is it simply a matter of crushing/mashing and
> then straining and pressing out the juice? or
> do they need to be cooked/steamed? or?
>
> also, i'm probably going to try freezing some
> berries with some sugar and lemon juice so they
> can be used for other things. freezer jam is
> good, but it's a bit too sweet and goopy for
> putting on cereal...
>
> what are you daydreaming of these days?

Got my first seed catalog today. Saving it until I can spend a good
hour or two fantasizing.

--
³Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness
sobered, but stupid lasts forever.² -- Aristophanes

On 2/4/2015 7:39 PM, Dave Balderstone wrote:
> In article >, songbird
> > wrote:
>
>> and making strawberry syrup for a change.
>>
>> i'm hoping the berries will come in well this
>> year and trying to figure out different things
>> to do with them than putting up freezer jam
>> (though i'll certainly be doing some that way).
>>
>> so for those who have made syrups from fruits
>> is it simply a matter of crushing/mashing and
>> then straining and pressing out the juice? or
>> do they need to be cooked/steamed? or?
>>
>> also, i'm probably going to try freezing some
>> berries with some sugar and lemon juice so they
>> can be used for other things. freezer jam is
>> good, but it's a bit too sweet and goopy for
>> putting on cereal...
>>
>> what are you daydreaming of these days?
>
> Got my first seed catalog today. Saving it until I can spend a good
> hour or two fantasizing.
>
We received our seed order from Territorial a couple of weeks ago. Have
chamomile and tomatoes already up under the grow light. I'm hoping we
aren't jumping the gun but SWMBO called the shot. Still have two beds to
amend but they're still full of winter crops, going to be close.

Getting tired of eating cabbage, green peas, beets, etc. Do enjoy the
lettuce, spinach, radishes, etc. Is that cabin fever setting in?

In article >, George Shirley
> wrote:

> Is that cabin fever setting in?

Just a Saskatchewan winter, George. Lots to do in the snow and cold.
Plus, we just had two weeks of VERY warm weather for January. Got up
above freezing! Of course, it was -27C this morning, but that's par for
early February.

The grow lights won't be on here for another 6 weeks. We don't plant
until mid-May.

djb

--
³Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness
sobered, but stupid lasts forever.² -- Aristophanes

On 2015-02-02 16:30:17 +0000, songbird said:

> and making strawberry syrup for a change.
>
> i'm hoping the berries will come in well this
> year and trying to figure out different things
> to do with them than putting up freezer jam
> (though i'll certainly be doing some that way).
>
> so for those who have made syrups from fruits
> is it simply a matter of crushing/mashing and
> then straining and pressing out the juice? or
> do they need to be cooked/steamed? or?
>
> also, i'm probably going to try freezing some
> berries with some sugar and lemon juice so they
> can be used for other things. freezer jam is
> good, but it's a bit too sweet and goopy for
> putting on cereal...
>
> what are you daydreaming of these days?
>
>
> songbird

I recently bought a Vitamix blender, Mark, and I'd be right tempted to
puree fresh berries and then combine with a sweetener and cook to
syrup. What's your plan for your syrup? I like to freeze sliced
berries in 4-cup packages and don't get involved with sugar until I'm
using them.


--
--
Barb
www.barbschaller.com, last update April 2013

On 2015-02-02 21:26:09 +0000, songbird said:
>
>> Have never tried to make a berry syrup but it should be easy enough to
>> find a recipe for canning berry syrup's for long term storage and use.
>
> yeah, i figure i should be able to find something,
> but i don't mind talking about it too.


> If I'm not mistaken, the NCHFP site has info on berry syrup. I made
> apricot syrup for last year's fair but screwed up and put it in the
> wrong size jar and it was disqualified.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>songbird wrote:
....

woohoo! look who's popped in!


>> what are you daydreaming of these days?
>
> I recently bought a Vitamix blender, Mark, and I'd be right tempted to
> puree fresh berries and then combine with a sweetener and cook to
> syrup. What's your plan for your syrup?

plan to use it or plan to make it? i have no plan to
make it as of yet. been distracted lately by a techie
thing. haven't looked it up yet, but...

ok, here's a stab at a process:

- blend
- put in cheese cloth
- press juice out
- add lemon and sugar to the juice
- stir a little
- leave sit for a few minutes
- stir again for a minute
- put in fridge overnight
- take the top layer of liquid and put that in jars
and seal them
- eat what's left in the bottom over cereal

i figure i'll use about 1/4 cup of lemon juice for
each batch of juice and hope to get 4 pints per batch.
i'm not sure how much fruit by weight i'll need to
start with, but after a few trials i should be able to
get it close enough. sugar amounts i'll probably go
for 2 cups of sugar and see how that turns out then
increase it until the syrup consistency is right. might
have to go around double that or more. seems like
syrups are about half sugar half water. i might be ok
with lighter syrup anyways. we'll see.


> I like to freeze sliced
> berries in 4-cup packages and don't get involved with sugar until I'm
> using them.

you wouldn't sugar them a little before freezing?
i am so fond of the freezer jam recipe that i'm
thinking of slicing them and then adding some sugar
and lemon juice and then freezing them packed into
pint jars. a pint is about perfect for two of us
to have for a shortcake or something. in the middle
of winter it'd be nice to have these to thaw out
and use to remind me of the gardens coming along
under the snow.


songbird