Canning: Blueberry Adventures

I grew up with a Mom who canned. It was not surprising to have cans of homemade apple sauce or jam sitting in our pantry or gracing the shelves of our refrigerator. So of course, I had to try it for myself. 

As a first time canner, I had a lack of supplies. Thankfully, Lehman Brothers understands what a newbie like myself requires. They sell a starters kit at a great price that comes with everything you need to start canning right away. The Beginner's Home Canning Kit arrived shortly after I ordered it, and besides the strange looks I got carrying the huge box across campus, I was so excited to get it in the mail. The best part of the kit is that it includes the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving that I read before bed and during my lunch break a few times through before attempting anything on my own.  

My first adventure in canning came down to four half pints of blue berry jam, and one quart of blueberry preserves. Of course the blueberries were local, I picked them while visiting my parents for a weekend. Can't get anymore natural than blueberries from wild bushes that are handpicked and brought back to campus only a day or so after they were gathered. 

Waiting to see if the jam sealed...IT DID!

What I learned: 
1) Dormitory kitchens only have three burners on their stoves, and you really need four when you are canning. One to cook on, one to heat the canner, one to sterilize the jars on, and one to sterilize the lids. 


2) Don't can in a dormitory when it is over 90 degrees out. Not only will you get warm and toasty, so will the  rest of the lounge, and there are no fans in the windows there. Luckily, I had friends who hung with me and braved the heat to supply moral support and make dinner when I was done. 


3) Wear an apron. I wore one, and thank goodness I did because there is no neat way to can. 


4) Pot holders are your friends. Boiling water = hot things. Don't burn your fingers thinking anything will be cool to the touch. 


5) Don't expect perfection. Canning is an art, and it has a learning curve before you can become a master. My first jam tastes good according to my friends, but I know it came out a little thicker than I would have liked. They joked that at least this way it won't melt and mix with the peanut butter when they make PB&J sandwiches for work.