Oregon Berry Jam

When four flats of berries arrived on my doorstep yesterday, as part of our CSA, I knew the time had come again to make jam.  Of the four flats, there was one of boysenberries, one of marionberries, and two of kotataberries. Unfortunately, since they are all varieties of the blackberry, they all look  essentially the same, so  my friends and I had considerable difficulty differentiating between them. The solution? Mix all of them together and make “Oregon Berry” jam instead! We took some of the berries and processed them through a food mill (with the fine blade) to remove the seeds, and then added some whole berries for texture. Combine two cups of seedless berry puree with one cup of whole, slightly mashed berries, one fourth of a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, one package of powdered fruit pectin, and five and one fourth cups sugar, and process according to the standard Ball® canning procedures. It is amazing. A really round blackberry flavor, with just the right about of twang, that just strikes a bell on your tongue. It is great on its own as a spread for toast, or on crackers with slices of brie and a little chiffonade of fresh basil, or add a few tablespoons to your chicken marinade for a delicious blackberry glazed chicken. Whichever way you choose to use it, this jam is a sure fire winner. Enjoy!