If you have a mirabelle tree make jam. I did that on our very first cool day (will not go above 83 degrees today,) so I could open my kitchen door and let the steam out! It took almost two hours to take the pits out of the mirabelles, then preparing the jars and boiling the water bath seemed to take forever. But I got it done! Mirabelle, do not travel well, or last long in the fruit basket, (another reason they are precious and elusive). The jam is incredibly fragrant and so good on a toasted baguette. I do not use pectin nor water. Only mirabelles, sugar (not much) and the juice of two lemons. Voila!
There is one re-cycled jam jar turned upside down. There is a reason for this. The French do not can like we do. As Americans, we have had the fear of botulism since birth! So we have canning equipment. Some French will have it as well, but not many, they leave that to commercial jam producers. In France they recycle their jars. They are washed, sterilized and the lids are washed and sterilized as well. The jar is filled with boiling jam, lid placed on and screwed on tight and then the jar is immediately turned upside down until the jam is cool. They feel the steaming jam really sterilized the lid and releases the steam to reseal the the lid. Go figure. I thought once you use a jar lid, the seal is broken. The French do this as they do not believe it will last that long; they are huge consumers of Jam known here as Confiture. It will last in the fridge for 2-3 weeks only.
I cannot break certain habits and one is proper canning. I did put the last remaining bits of the batch of mirabelle jam in one jam jar as I will have help eating it this week! Had to try the French method.
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