I grew up in a small town in Central BC in the 1980s, where
there was 1 stoplight and not even a take out pizza joint until I was in grade
10. Every summer my parents would
load up the car with flats of fat, juicy tomatoes, ruby red cherries, and sweet
strawberries from fruit stands with their wares trucked up from the
Okanogan. Making jam or canning
was a family affair; with us kids sitting at the island in our kitchen knife
and cutting board in hand, hulling strawberries or peeling and slicing
peaches.
There’s something about homemade jams and jellies that I
just can’t get from buying them at the store. The lack of additives and colors, fresher fruit, and the
freedom to play around with flavors keep you from being limited to what’s on
the grocery shelf. Also, making
jam at home is far more economical than buying it once you already own all the
canning equipment.
Awhile ago, I was sent this gorgeous new book from Canadian
Living. I’ve often used Canadian
Living’s recipes in my kitchen when canning, always with great success. This
hardcover book has everything from pickles to mustards, fruit vinegars, jams,
chutneys, and more. This
pepper jelly has a fantastic twist with the addition of tequila, and comes out
sweet with a bit of spice. I think
it would be tasty on a wheel of brie, slathered over cream cheese on
baguette, or as a glaze on chicken. I don't think you need to worry about the alcohol with young kids; when you add it to the screaming hot jelly, there's much bubbling and I'm sure the alcohol just burns right off, leaving the flavour behind.
Having said that, when I bought the tequila I was asked not for one, but two pieces of ID at the liquor store. I'm 41. Let's just say it made me really, really happy.
If you are new to canning, the book also explains the
process well, talks about equipment and tips, and offers recipes for beginners
as well as for more advanced cooks. With beautiful photographs and easy to
follow directions, I highly recommend that you give it a good look.
1 cup minced sweet peppers-1/3 cup each red, yellow,
and orange.
1 tsp minced hot red pepper, seeded (I used bird's eye chiles)
¾ cup white wine vinegar
3 cups sugar
¼ cup tequila
1 envelope of liquid Certo
Before you start, sterilize 8 ½ cup sized jars and keep them
hot in the oven. Fill a canner
with water and bring it to a boil (this takes awhile, I’d do this first). You also want to get a small pot and
bring the water to a simmer, then set the snap lids in to soften the glue. Don’t boil them, but keep them in hot
water while you continue.
In a large pot, stir together the sweet and hot peppers,
vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a
full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring. Let boil or 5
minutes while you stir to keep it from burning.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the Certo, stir, and
then add the tequila. The mixture
will bubble after you add the tequila, but don’t worry about it. Set the hot jars onto a tea towel
on your counter to catch the spills.
Ladle the hot jelly into the jars, leaving ¼ inch
headspace. A canning funnel and
ladle work really well here and keep the mess to a minimum. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth, then cover
with a warm snap lid and screw on the band to fingertip tight.
Process the jars in a boiling water canner for 10
minutes. Turn off the heat and
move the canner off the element to let it cool a bit before removing the jars
to the counter top. As they cool,
occasionally turn them upside down (carefully!) and leave them that way for a
few minutes so that the bits of pepper in the jelly don’t float to the top and
stay there. If you do this every so often as they
cool, the bits will eventually be suspended in the jelly quite nicely.
Allow the jars to completely cool on the counter. Each of the snap lids should be sealed
up-meaning, if you press the top they are firm and there is no give. Any jar that didn’t seal can be
refrigerated and you can use it up immediately.
Makes 3-4 cups of jelly
Disclosure: I have not been paid by, nor do I work for, Canadian Living or their publisher. The book was sent to me to review. However, it should be said that some of the recipes in the book have been around for years in their publications, and I have made them before, with great success.
