Strawberry-Basil Jam

Some people have Christmas, others favor Halloween, then there’s those that await First Contact Day … myself?  I’m partial to the first day of strawberry season.

And it’s here!

Like tomatoes, there is nothing quite like a summer strawberry.  Choosing local also makes a big difference.  I picked up mine from Eckert’s Farm and was surprised by how different they are from regular grocery store strawberries.  I found them to be smaller, juicier, and more flavorful.

I would describe these particular strawberries as sweet, floral, and fragrant.

Now, the responsible thing to do would be to can my jam and store for colder months, when hibernation and SAD kicks in and makes me forget that summer exists.  But :::real talk::: I usually don’t have the patience to properly can, nor can I resist eating fresh jam for that long.  (It’s usually tuckered into by the next morning….)

In my experience, most jams have a one dimensional flavor profile–i.e., sugar.  With just a subtle sweetness and notes of floral and herb, my strawberry-basil version is definitely more complex than your average jam.

I like to top it on toast or oatmeal, swirled through banana ice cream, or just eaten by the spoonful.

Strawberry-Basil Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pints strawberries
• Juice and zest from 1 small lemon
• 3-4 tbsp date sugar
• Fresh basil to taste

Method:

Rinse and hull strawberries.  Roughly chop–I like my strawberry jam pretty chunky, so I don’t mince too finely.  Place strawberries into a pot and set at medium heat.  Squeeze in lemon juice, then add zest and date sugar*.

Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer.  Cook for 20 minutes or so and then test the jam for doneness.  When a small amount juice gels on a cold plate, the jam is done.  I ended up cooking for 45 minutes until I had the proper consistency.  Remove jam from heat and allow to cool.  Meanwhile finely chop fresh basil and stir into jam.

When slightly cooled, pour jam into a jar.  At this point you can either keep in the refrigerator and use immediately or follow proper canning guidelines to keep longer.

*I’m a fan of the Date Lady’s date sugar.  It is made from whole dates so it retains fiber and minerals not found in cane sugar.

Ps. Can we just take a moment to appreciate how dramatic this next photo is? It’s like a Sears glamour shot for strawberries.  I’m still working on my Portrait-mode skillz.