Yum, Yum, Yum

My friends and I here are getting ready to make some pomegranate jelly. I pulled the recipe right off the web and used it last year and the year before with pretty darn good results.

Last year the jelly was just about right, although it did  not set perfectly -- it was a bit "juicier" than I would have liked. It was close enough of course that we ate all of it happily, but as the jelly maker, I knew that I wanted to fine tune the process. In reading about jelly making, it suggested that there are a number of reasons for jelly that does not set well, but one stood out -- pectin needs an acidic environment to work properly. The fix is to add a splash of lemon juice. When I made the pineapple jelly last week, I added a dab of lemon juice and voila! The pineapple jam set nicely.

Today's first step for me was to harvest about ten of the boys and juice them, collecting 5 cups of the exquisitely beautiful ruby liquid. Next, it is suggested that the juice sit overnight. This allows any sediment to settle out leaving a very clear product.

So, with my two jars of juice in the fridge, I will go off to bed to dream about tomorrow's lemon-assisted alchemy that will turn turn them into jars of breakfast bliss, the perfect bride for a warm biscuit.

Wish us luck.