In keeping with the random things that Emily and I do, we spent last Saturday making and canning jam. Last years adventure was so much fun and successful that we decided to make another day of it and make more jam to gift for our families and friends.

We set out looking up different recipes to try, so a flurry of emails went back and forth deciding which ones sounded best. In the end we settled on 3 jams, one of which was Lemon Ginger Marmalade from The Bitten Word (originally from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving) I had made marmalade previously but was not satisfied with the results. Trying a new recipe was really interesting for me then.

When making this jam, keep the following in mind- the ginger will take a very, very long time to grate. Do this step first. Be patient and it will be worth it. While a cup of ginger appears to be a lot, it does mellow out as it cooks. You notice the ginger when you first smell the jam. As you take a bit of it you really notice that just casts a light flavor to the Meyer lemons, which seems to get you as it lingers. The resulting jam is the perfect combination of being fragrant, sweet, tart, and smooth. It is a great accompaniment to a sugary pastry.

Lemon Ginger Marmalade

-makes 7 jars-

Ingredients

• 7 small Meyer lemons (or regular lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup coarsely grated ginger root (suggestion: purchase 1 pound)
• 1 package (1.75 ounce) regular powdered fruit pectin
• 6 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Process

1. Prepare jars, and lids in dishwasher or in boiling water. Fill canning pot with enough water to completely cover the jars when processing.
2. Peel the ginger and then grate 1 cup, set aside.
3.  Remove yellow lemon peel in long strips with a vegetable peeler. Dice the pieces, set aside.
4. Over a bowl, remove the pith from the lemons and then supreme the lemons, be separating the fruit from the membranes. Squeeze the left over membranes into the bowl to collect as much juice as possible. Measure 1 cup of the lemon segments and juice, and set aside.
5. In a large deep stainless steel saucepan, combine the diced lemon peel, baking soda, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and boil gently for 5 minutes to soften the peel. Remove from heat for 5 minutes.
6. Add the grated ginger, lemon segments, and pectin to the pot with the peel mixture. Wisk the mixture over medium heat until the pectin is dissolved. While wisking, bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Add the sugar all at once and bring back to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Once the jam has boiled hard for 1 full minute, remove from heat and skim off any foam.
7. Using a funnel and ladle, add the hot marmalade into hot jars, but leave 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a bubble remover, as needed. Wipe the rims with a wet towel. Place the lid on the jars and gently the band on, just until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
8. Process the jars in a canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove from water, set upon a towel covered surface. Jars will pop when process correctly, this time can vary from a 1 minute our of the water to several hours.