Blackberry Mint & Whisky Jam

If there’s one thing that mom-in-law and I have in common, we both agree that “free food is good food”. I bet you’ll all agree with me.

Well you see, we both have this passion (I even call it a disease) of mixing sports (could be hiking, biking or even a small promenade) with fruit and vegetable gathering. The rules are simple: keep your eyes wide open, be a MacGyver have all the necessary things you’ll be needing in your pocket or backpack (a Swiss knife but of course the most important thing is your plastic bag where you’ll put your harvest) and a little bit of courage and patience. I mean courage and patience because sometimes you must climb. Sometimes you needed to enter in the bushes of thorns, sometimes it could be dirty and messy. And of course you need to be strong too against the voice of your husband shouting and calling “hurry up, where are you?” sorts like that. You know men they hated shopping. Just go on anyways they will surely enjoy the fruits of your labor after. I couldn’t count with my hands the free good stuffs that we’ve enjoyed already; wild berries, wild asparagus, mushrooms, apples, figs, apricots, all kinds of nuts without counting the wild aromatic herbs abundant in our region. And would you believe that they are even better from the one we can buy in the supermarket for its mother earth that nurtured it free from pesticides and fertilizers.

Last Sunday morning, we decided to take a short walk before taking our breakfast in the field not far from our place. It was a peaceful thirty minute walk and a kilo of wild blackberries :-) Not bad! This is my not so Wordless Wednesday edition! :-)

By the way, I'll be sending some of this wild blackberry jam over at Passionatecook for August edition of Waiter there's Something in my.....with Picnic ideas for a theme. This month's theme is also co-hosted by Cooksister and Spittoon Extra. This is definitely practical for picnics; you can top it over your baguette, yogurt, pannacotta or ice-cream.

Blackberry Mint & Whisky Jam

1 kilo of blackberries
1 kilo of sugar
100 g of mint leaves crushed
5 cl of Whisky (about a quarter of a small glass)

Start first by washing your blackberries. We cannot take the risk. Dry them up in a paper towel. Then put them in a big bowl then add up the sugar and crushed mint leaves. Let it macerate for at least an hour. You can stir it from time to time until a deep bluish black juice comes out. Cook this in a casserole over low fire. Skim some foam if necessay. But there's very few for my blackberry jam. To check if your jam is ready, get a spoonful of liquid and put it on a glass of iced water, as soon as thickens when cold it is ready. If it still remains liquid continue cooking. As soon as the jam is ready add your whisky and stir it.

-------------- Well, the whisky is actually optional. You can put more or less depending on your preference. Or you none at all. Blackberries are already great as it is!



for my french readers, the french version is here: http://www.lesfoodies.com/news/recette/confiture-mures-parfumee-menthe-fraiche

My other jam recipes:

Apricot Cinnamon Jam
Lime and Watermelon Jam