This brought back memories of my mother making blackcurrant jam from the fruit bushes we had in our yard. I mostly remember strict orders NOT TO TASTE it because it was too hot, as well as a long story about the boiling point of sugar which my scientist mother surely delighted in teaching and which I promptly forgot!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful memory, Clare! I have to remind myself constantly to not taste the boiling jam while making it. It is so hard to resist the alluring smells of jam. I will always lick the spatulas and spoons to make sure as little jam went to waste as possible. Honestly one of the reasons I love making varennya is because it's less fussy than jam. Since it will always be a little runny you don't have to worry about reaching any type of setting point as you do with jams or jellies. I do love red currant jelly! Having a scientist mom would be so cool tho!
Visiting Romania 🇷🇴 would be a dream come true! You need to teach me how to grow currants 😊! The only things I seem to be able to keep alive are my sourdough starters these days.
From everything I have seen and read, Romania sounds stunning. I know a little more about the culture and food on the Ukrainian/Romanian border. Our shared love for cornmeal/polenta.
That’s a lovely set up! ☺️ adding a pinch of thyme to varennya would be yum 🤤.
Yes definitely a shared love of mamaliga! Supposedly there’s even a connection between the cornmeal/polenta/mamaliga and the vampire legends in Transylvania - that would be fun to explore sometime
The best! I love black currant varennya because there’s so little hassle. No need to dirty extra plates or spoons, or remember to put them in the freezer, no need to worry about setting anything properly. It’s the best.
Thank you for this black currant varennya recipe! I'm looking forward to making it! It is strawberry season here in TN and that starts my jam making for the year. As other local fruits ripen through out the year I will continue on making different jams. I only use fruit, sugar and lemon juice in my jams. I've learned a lot from Christine Ferber and her books on jams. I highly recommend her to all jam makers! Some years the jams are thicker than others which I account for the conditions the fruit was raised in and the quality of the fresh fruit as being the difference in viscosity. Anyway, some years its thin and some years its thick. I like them both! What treats to savor once the weather gets cold and the fresh fruits are gone until the next year. Thanks for the suggestion of having the black currant jam at thanksgiving instead of cranberries!
I hope you received the books I sent you last week and that they will be helpful to you. I have great empathy for you and what you are going through. Blessings on you and know that God loves you with an everlasting love!
This brought back memories of my mother making blackcurrant jam from the fruit bushes we had in our yard. I mostly remember strict orders NOT TO TASTE it because it was too hot, as well as a long story about the boiling point of sugar which my scientist mother surely delighted in teaching and which I promptly forgot!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful memory, Clare! I have to remind myself constantly to not taste the boiling jam while making it. It is so hard to resist the alluring smells of jam. I will always lick the spatulas and spoons to make sure as little jam went to waste as possible. Honestly one of the reasons I love making varennya is because it's less fussy than jam. Since it will always be a little runny you don't have to worry about reaching any type of setting point as you do with jams or jellies. I do love red currant jelly! Having a scientist mom would be so cool tho!
Thank you for this ! I always enjoy black currents in Romania and grow them in my garden in the US
Visiting Romania 🇷🇴 would be a dream come true! You need to teach me how to grow currants 😊! The only things I seem to be able to keep alive are my sourdough starters these days.
Romania is beautiful! Haha- the currents live in a raised bed with some thyme plants in a sunny spot- they seem to love each other!!!
From everything I have seen and read, Romania sounds stunning. I know a little more about the culture and food on the Ukrainian/Romanian border. Our shared love for cornmeal/polenta.
That’s a lovely set up! ☺️ adding a pinch of thyme to varennya would be yum 🤤.
Yes definitely a shared love of mamaliga! Supposedly there’s even a connection between the cornmeal/polenta/mamaliga and the vampire legends in Transylvania - that would be fun to explore sometime
Really nice, thanks. Blackcurrant jam is definitely the best flavour 🫶
The best! I love black currant varennya because there’s so little hassle. No need to dirty extra plates or spoons, or remember to put them in the freezer, no need to worry about setting anything properly. It’s the best.
I've never had fresh blackcurrants, mostly for lack of access, but I love everything blackcurrant. Jams, candies, maracons, liqueurs.
Thank you for this black currant varennya recipe! I'm looking forward to making it! It is strawberry season here in TN and that starts my jam making for the year. As other local fruits ripen through out the year I will continue on making different jams. I only use fruit, sugar and lemon juice in my jams. I've learned a lot from Christine Ferber and her books on jams. I highly recommend her to all jam makers! Some years the jams are thicker than others which I account for the conditions the fruit was raised in and the quality of the fresh fruit as being the difference in viscosity. Anyway, some years its thin and some years its thick. I like them both! What treats to savor once the weather gets cold and the fresh fruits are gone until the next year. Thanks for the suggestion of having the black currant jam at thanksgiving instead of cranberries!
I hope you received the books I sent you last week and that they will be helpful to you. I have great empathy for you and what you are going through. Blessings on you and know that God loves you with an everlasting love!