Hey Barb,

Are there any commercially available brands of jams and preserves that
you prefer over others? (Other than Gedney, of course!) I am always
on the lookout for a good fruit preserve. Dickinson's is one brand
I like: http://www.dickinsonsfamily.com/ and I am almost afraid to try
others because if they are off, you are stuck with a pot full of
preserves not worth eating.

TIA for any input.

-L.

In article .com>,
"-L." > wrote:

> Hey Barb,
>
> Are there any commercially available brands of jams and preserves that
> you prefer over others? (Other than Gedney, of course!) I am always
> on the lookout for a good fruit preserve. Dickinson's is one brand
> I like: http://www.dickinsonsfamily.com/ and I am almost afraid to try
> others because if they are off, you are stuck with a pot full of
> preserves not worth eating.
>
> TIA for any input.
>
> -L.

Buy? You jest, right? <grin> First, I don't eat them. Well, not
very much, anyway. Others in my family do. :0). I don't dislike them
categorically, it's just that I don't think about eating them. Rob,
OTOH, and Small Child * well, ya gotta have toast in the morning.
Second, I make about 400 jars every summer. To buy would be that coals
to Newcastle thing. ;-)

A couple things, though. One reason the Gedney products are so danged
good is because they're made with <gasp!> sugar. That's also why
they're more expensive than Kraft and Smuckers, etc. The Gedney folks
use sugar rather than corn syrup or high fructose. And they use
identifiable pieces of fruit, too!

Try a "gourmet shop" product, something you'd find in a good kitchen
goods shop with a food section * it's more likely to be made in small
batches than the Kraft/Smucker's/Welch's stuff. You'll also find more
flavor combinations that you'll want to believe. Look at the
ingredients list. It should read fruit, sugar, pectin, and citric acid
(quite likely). And if you like fruit butters, the ingredient list
should *not* contain pectin!

I think I had Malkin's Brand jam once years ago * my local Fleet Farm
store stocks it * it's in a can! It's worth a shot. It's a Canadian
company. http://www.canadasfood.com/retailers.php might help you find
a retailer.

You want my price list? :-) I've nothing available now but when May
comes, so does the rhubarb. <:-0)

I hope this helps.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - Winter pic and a snow pic
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor

In article .com>,
"-L." > wrote:

> Hey Barb,
>
> Are there any commercially available brands of jams and preserves that
> you prefer over others? (Other than Gedney, of course!) I am always
> on the lookout for a good fruit preserve. Dickinson's is one brand
> I like: http://www.dickinsonsfamily.com/ and I am almost afraid to try
> others because if they are off, you are stuck with a pot full of
> preserves not worth eating.
>
> TIA for any input.
>
> -L.

I was shopping earlier in the day and looked at a 10 oz jar of
Dickinson's stuff. And if I recall, it had the dreaded corn syrup and
high fructose in it, too. Tsk, tsk.

Holy crap, Batgirl! It was $3.29 for that jar. The Gedney stuff is
anywhere from $2.00-$3.29 for a 16 oz jar. And mighty good. You can
order it online. . . .
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - Winter pic and a snow pic
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article .com>,
> "-L." > wrote:
>
>> Hey Barb,
>>
>> Are there any commercially available brands of jams and preserves that
>> you prefer over others? (Other than Gedney, of course!) I am always
>> on the lookout for a good fruit preserve. Dickinson's is one brand
>> I like: http://www.dickinsonsfamily.com/ and I am almost afraid to try
>> others because if they are off, you are stuck with a pot full of
>> preserves not worth eating.
>>
>
> I think I had Malkin's Brand jam once years ago � my local Fleet Farm
> store stocks it � it's in a can! It's worth a shot. It's a Canadian
> company. http://www.canadasfood.com/retailers.php might help you find
> a retailer.
>



Yep. Malkin's is pretty good. DD like raspberry jam, and that's what
brand I buy -- in a can at Fleet Farm. It probably is made with some
kind of corn sweetener instead of sugar (not sure; I don't have a can
handy) but it has a lot of fruit in it. Cheaper brands are mostly just
corn syrup and pectin with very little fruit.

You [-L] know you don't really need fresh fruit to make jam? Dried
apricots and canned pineapple makes a very good jam (if I may say so
myself.)

Bob

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
>
> Buy? You jest, right? <grin> First, I don't eat them. Well, not
> very much, anyway. Others in my family do. :0). I don't dislike them
> categorically, it's just that I don't think about eating them. Rob,
> OTOH, and Small Child * well, ya gotta have toast in the morning.
> Second, I make about 400 jars every summer. To buy would be that coals
> to Newcastle thing. ;-)


LOL Having been raised on home made jams and jellies I have to say that
there are no major brands to recommend. There are a few very expensive
brands that are pretty good, but they are very expensive. I don't need to
tell you that jam is not particularly challenging to make, and unless you
really screw it up, even the worst home made jams is better then the best
commercial brand. I always make my own Seville Orange Marmalade. In order
for me to buy marmalade that is as good as I can make, I have to spend far
more than I think I am worth. Seriously, it costs about $8 per jar, and I
can make it for a small fraction of that and it isn't a lot of work.

Speaking of which.... I should post a separate message for a Seville Orange
alert. They are in the market now.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
> I was shopping earlier in the day and looked at a 10 oz jar of
> Dickinson's stuff. And if I recall, it had the dreaded corn syrup and
> high fructose in it, too. Tsk, tsk.

It tastes good though! I swear!! And yes, it is spendy...
>
> Holy crap, Batgirl! It was $3.29 for that jar. The Gedney stuff is
> anywhere from $2.00-$3.29 for a 16 oz jar. And mighty good. You can
> order it online. . . .

Please send me your price list - email addy is good. I am assuming
this is the price list for the real tomato and not the Gedney
version... (Though I may break my rule of no internet orders try
some of the Gedney product...)

-L.

zxcvbob wrote:
>
> Yep. Malkin's is pretty good. DD like raspberry jam, and that's what
> brand I buy -- in a can at Fleet Farm. It probably is made with some
> kind of corn sweetener instead of sugar (not sure; I don't have a can
> handy) but it has a lot of fruit in it. Cheaper brands are mostly just
> corn syrup and pectin with very little fruit.
>
> You [-L] know you don't really need fresh fruit to make jam? Dried
> apricots and canned pineapple makes a very good jam (if I may say so
> myself.)
>
> Bob

Time is an issue for me, though. Maybe once Juicy goes to preschool I
will try it - I'm buried in housework right now though. I need a
maid!

-L.

On 24 Feb 2007 01:24:58 -0800, "-L." > wrote:


>Time is an issue for me, though. Maybe once Juicy goes to preschool I
>will try it - I'm buried in housework right now though. I need a
>maid!
>
>-L.

Try Flylady. Seriously.

www.flylady.com

Christine

Christine Dabney > wrote in
:

> On 24 Feb 2007 01:24:58 -0800, "-L."
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Time is an issue for me, though. Maybe once Juicy goes to
>>preschool I will try it - I'm buried in housework right now
>>though. I need a maid!
>>
>>-L.
>
> Try Flylady. Seriously.

Flylady doesn't live on a farm. she just made me seriously
annoyed
i would far rather live with dust & a non-sparkly sink than
put up with her nagging about shoes. no one wears shoes in
*my* house. take 'em off at the door & leave the chicken shit
outside, thanks
lee
--
Question with boldness even the existence of god; because if
there be
one, he must more approve the homage of reason than that of
blindfolded
fear. - Thomas Jefferson

In article >,
zxcvbob > wrote:

>
> You [-L] know you don't really need fresh fruit to make jam? Dried
> apricots and canned pineapple makes a very good jam (if I may say so
> myself.)
>
> Bob

I second the notion!
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - Winter pic and a snow pic
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor

Christine Dabney wrote:
> On 24 Feb 2007 01:24:58 -0800, "-L." > wrote:
>
>
>> Time is an issue for me, though. Maybe once Juicy goes to preschool I
>> will try it - I'm buried in housework right now though. I need a
>> maid!
>>
>> -L.
>
> Try Flylady. Seriously.
>
> www.flylady.com

I think it's flylady.net . And yes, I second the recommendation.

Serene

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
> In article >,
> zxcvbob > wrote:
>
> >
> > You [-L] know you don't really need fresh fruit to make jam? Dried
> > apricots and canned pineapple makes a very good jam (if I may say so
> > myself.)
> >
> > Bob
>
> I second the notion!

I'll third it. I have made apricot jam with dried apricots and sour cherry
jam with frozen cherries. There is a cherry farm about a mile from me that
picks, pits and freezes sour cherries and sells them for a lot less than it
costs me to buy them fresh, and then I have to pit them. It saves me money
and a bundle of work to buy them frozen to make jam.