Homemade jams, an award, and I’m going for a vacation!
Summer is finally here in Oregon. For the last part of June, the weather finally turned very nice with clear blue sky and warm sunny day every day. July turns out to be even better, I think we could kiss goodbye to the rain for a while now 
I’ve never in my life thought that I would do home canning. Several of my friends have done canning peaches several years back and each summer they told me to join them, I was still unsure. I was afraid I wouldn’t do good job in sterilizing jars, making sure the canned stuff reach proper temperature, making sure the sealing was done properly and many other disturbing thoughts I could think of. But in the mean time, I bought a canner, one dozen jars, jar lifter, and labels! I am weird in that way, I know I would try this home canning business sooner or later, but I just haven’t figure out when yet.
This year I become brave enough to try it, especially when the season of strawberry picking started. Living in Oregon, the U-pick farms are abundant, the variety of strawberries for picking is far superior than the strawberries from California, and talk about Hood strawberries! They are among the sweetest strawberry you could taste in the world, even though they’re not so big in size. So two weeks ago, me and my family went out picking strawberries in Damascus area. We got a loadful of juicy strawberries which then were prepared right away. I separated some for making jams and the rest were frozen for later use. It turned out that my fear of making jams went out the window the moment I heard "ping" sound went off from one jar to another! Yippeee… Me, a suburban mom, making jams? I have become more domesticated than my mom!
From then on I was going jam-crazy. I made blueberry jams simply because there’s a cookie recipe that looks very good with the jam sandwiched between the cookies—that’s another post to write about. I made apricot jams because I knew I would use them in my cakes, tarts, pastry and everything. All in all I made three bluberry jams, five strawberry jams, and four apricot jams so far. I’ve been thinking of making mango jams and when I mentioned this to my hubby, he thought I’ve gone mad! 
No really, mango jam is very delicious, right? And let’s not forget canning fresh peaches! Oh, how I love them…
In between making jams, I have to pack several luggages in preparation for our vacation this coming Sunday. We are going, no make it driving, to Southern California for three weeks. Yeah, road trip! My brother-in-law and his family from Germany would come (again) to visit my in-laws this summer and we also have a chance to see my sister-in-law and her two boys from Jakarta in California before they go back home next week. I also want to visit my parents and my best friend down there. Other than family time, I’m planning to see California beaches, maybe going Highway 101 south and eat tons of delicious foods! And do you know what I’m bringing to California? My jams of course! 
I will share the jams with my mother and mother-in-law.
One last thing before I go, I was given an award by Mrs Ergul, a sweet gal from Singapore, just recently. It is a "I Love You This Much" award. You’re simply too kind, Pei Lin! I’m actually quite embarrased to get an award because I seldom participate in giving award to my friends. Not that I don’t like/love my friends though. Since it’s time to feel generous, I will pass this award to:
Amanda from Slow Like Honey
Riana from For the Love of Baking
Rita from Mochachocolatarita
Kajal from Aaplemint
Patricia from Technicolor Kitchen
There…hope you all have a wonderful summer! I’ll be back in August!
something that I never tried before canning. Have a great time with friend and family Liz. enjoy your summer. see you in august for the foodie event ok.
if you try it maybe you’ll be addicted just like me
thanks Dwi, see ya later!
Comment by dwiana — July 11, 2008 @ 11:49 am
Hi, beautiful! Thank you for the award – you are so talented and generous, Liz, I feel very flattered.
I have yet to try canning jams, now that you have accomplished it I may get brave enough to try!
you’re welcome Pat. you yourself is a creative, warm and resourceful lady! have a try in making jam, you’ll be hooked
Comment by Patricia Scarpin — July 11, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
I found this blog earlier this week and favorited it. I had no idea you were just across the river until today. Been dealing with berries and jam here, myself. I used the mangoes for mango curd, though.
I’m trying to get brave enough for canning, myself.
hi there! the ideal is to make mango curd and canned it too so you could get longer storage time. but yes, mango curd is also delicious! it’s also on my to-do list.
Comment by me — July 11, 2008 @ 8:46 pm
Happy Holiday, Liz! Have fun on your road trip
. Karena aku agak males masak, makanya kalo mau bikin bumbu rendang, opor, gulai dll, aku bikin sekaligus yg banyak. Terus aku masukin di toples deh.
Toples gelas2ku malah isinya bukan selai, tapi bumbu2 masak
Mungkin lain waktu pengen nyoba juga bikin selai sendiri kali ya.
thanks Sheil…
kalo doyan selai, harus nyoba bikin sendiri, seru & ketauan apa aja yg dimasukin ke dlm botol 
bagus juga tuh idenya, bumbu jadi dimasukin toples. tapi aku masalahnya lemari es-nya suka penuh banget, gak muat tempat lagi
Comment by Sheila — July 12, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
waaa asikk nih ada jam buatan sendiri….:D..berriesnya bikin ngilerrrrr..:P
met liburan yaaaa
Comment by elsye — July 13, 2008 @ 1:13 am
thanks for the award!
Comment by Amanda — July 13, 2008 @ 9:03 am
thanks for the award liz, ehhh enjoy your holiday yaaaa
Comment by rita — July 14, 2008 @ 2:03 am
Hehehe.. thank youuuu… iya nih lagi wira-wiri ngurusin reuni smp, gak sempet ngapa2in selain ngajar. Ok deh nanti nulis buru-buru deh..
thanks lagi!
Comment by Riana Ambarsari — July 15, 2008 @ 9:10 am
Hope you’re having a great time. Left you a little something on my site.
Comment by nina — July 15, 2008 @ 12:40 pm
We’d like to invite you to participate in our July berry recipe contest. All competitors will be placed on our blogroll, and the winner will receive a fun prize! Please email me, sophiekiblogger@gmail.com, if you’re interested. Feel free to check out our blog for more details. (Click on my name in the message header link to visit our blog.
Comment by Sophie — July 21, 2008 @ 11:58 am
the jams look soooo good! have a wonderful vacation!!
Comment by missy — July 22, 2008 @ 6:55 pm
Tok-tok-tok…
. Kalo udah pulang, kerjain tag dari aku ya, Liz. Kalo udah pernah dapet ya dilewatin aja 
Pasti si empunya dapur masih dalam rangka liburan deh
aku email Sheil…
Comment by Sheila — July 24, 2008 @ 6:53 am
Hi Eliza, Salam kenal dari Houston,
Wah.. aku agak deg-degan mau nyoba canning.
Beberapa bulan ini baru memberanikan diri untuk nyoba masak pakai panci presto, he..he.. emang nyalinya kecil.
hai Amelia…salam kenal juga. rasanya kalo mau bisa, segalanya harus dicoba
Comment by Amelia — July 28, 2008 @ 2:08 pm
Awww that is so sweet of you ! Thanks so much for that lovable award , i really need that hug !
As for the canning, i guess its like an addiction. once you’ve started you just cant stop. I’m sure your mum in law will adore these. have a gr8 trip.
hugs
Comment by Kate — August 3, 2008 @ 4:57 am
Eliza, you are truly brave. The only thing I have ever canned is Strawberry Freezer Jam and I made it with my mother. Well, actually she made it I just sorta helped. I sure do love eating canned fruits when I get them given to me. Hope you have a great vacation. I just recently came back from mine and now just finish a family reunion here. I’m glad to be able to get to my computer and start surfing again. Your blog was one of my first ones. Take care!
Comment by Chuck — August 3, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
yummie….have a fun summer
thanks for visiting!
Comment by thersia — August 4, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
This blog is nice.Home made jams i think it would be a nice recipe.Every body love fruits and i hope you have a great vacation
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nancyfernandez
Dui In California
Comment by nancyfernandez — September 17, 2008 @ 11:57 pm