It's strawberry time

Ava eating a strawberry at Jacquemin Farms

Strawberry picking

If you have ever gone strawberry picking as a child, as I was forced to do, strawberry picking will not seem fun at first. I mean, you go to a field teaming with tons of people, bend over at an impossible angle to pick the little nuggets of gold, while lugging a huge container of berries. I can still remember my mom telling the five of us we were going to Yutzy's to pick a row of berries. Ugh. She wasn't a slave drive or anything, but berry picking is hard work!

Maybe it's because I am older and don't have the whole manual labor thing hanging over my head now that I appreciate the fun of strawberry picking in a new way. I can picture the litany of things I will make. Jam that Ava loves to eat, homemade strawberry pie and strawberries in the freezer all winter long can make the picking a little more palpable.

Freezer jam

I will tell you without a doubt, making freezer jelly is super simple. DO not be intimidated. I repeat, it's so easy even I can do it! I still haven't gone near a pressure cooker, but freezer jelly is just mashing the berries, adding sugar, pectin and putting it in nice little containers in the freezer (hence the term, freezer jelly).

The end result is a decadent ruby goodness that tastes fresh and sweet. Oh, how I LOVE freezer jelly.