When faced with the sticky situation of finding something to pair with, say, a cream cheese appetizer, the morning’s pancakes, or an ice cream dessert, look no further than homemade jams and jellies.

Many Newtown residents are smitten with the sweet treats and have been creating their own batches for friends and family for years.

The Jam Protégé

Hattertown resident Andrea Zimmermann began her jam journey nearly 12 years ago, when she met a town-famous jam-maker who showed her the tricks of the trade.

“I had a wonderful mentor,” Ms Zimmermann explained. “When I started work at the C.H. Booth Library, Beryl Harrison was my supervisor, and she makes wonderful jam. I was really interested, and she shared all her secrets.”

She cites Ms Harrison as her jam inspiration, having started out by making Ms Harrison’s specialty peach rum recipe.

Over the years, Ms Zimmermann has expanded her repertoire of flavors that she uses and makes everything from blueberry to thimbleberry peach to strawberry rhubarb.

“You can make jam out of just about anything,” she explained. “I’ve tried jalapeno jelly but was disappointed. There was no heat to it at all. The sugar abated all the heat.”

She has also tried, and had success, using rosehip (the nodule that is left on the flower after the rose petals fall off), crabapple, and concord grapes — all three of which require the extra steps of cooking and straining the fruit before beginning the usual jam making process.

Ms Zimmermann enjoys getting her ingredients straight from nature, but says people can also purchase store-bought fruit and even frozen fruit when in a pinch.

“I like to try to cook with the seasons,” she said. “If you use the best ingredients, you can get the best results.”

After selecting the fruit and chopping it to the desired consistency (jam has a thicker consistency than jelly), the right tools are needed to start the process.

Ms Zimmermann says people should aim to have a long wooden spoon for stirring — “The longer the handle the better because the jam splatters” — as well as a ladle, glass jars with lids and rings (that can be bought in a set), and two large pots. A tall pot is best for boiling and stirring the jam in, while the other large pot is used for the hot water bath during the canning process.

“Most recipes call for pectin, which I always use, and that’s a naturally occurring substance that helps the jam set,” she added. If the jam comes out too dense, the pectin could be the culprit and should be cut back on to achieve a better consistency.

The preferred canning process differs from person to person and can range from a traditional hot water bath method, which Ms Zimmermann currently uses, to freezing or sealing the lid with paraffin wax.

After canning the jams, she recommends putting them on a thick dish towel (rather than straight on a countertop) and left undisturbed overnight to set. They can then be stored in a cool place, like a pantry or cabinet, until needed. Once opened, or if the seal is not securely shut, the jam should be kept refrigerated.

Last year, Ms Zimmermann made 75 jars of jam and jelly and gave them out to friends and family for birthdays, get-togethers, and at Christmas time.

“It’s a wonderful gift if you like to give out homemade gifts. People really appreciate it; that’s been my experience,” she said. “I encourage anyone to try it.”

The Seasoned Professional

Ms Harrison started out making jam like most rookies — covered in pureed blueberry splatters. Despite her first attempt at jam-making not being the most glamorous, she was not completely discouraged.

Later in 1969, her mother sent her a 25-cent booklet from General Foods Kitchens, manufacturer of Sure-Jell and Certo liquid pectin, that was filled with jam recipes to try.

The booklet helped her rediscover an interest in jam-making, and she began trying out different versions. The well-loved recipe book now bears Ms Harrison’s handwriting in the margins, detailing when she made the jam and how it turned out.

One of the recipes from it was a strawberry Sauterne jam. The Sauterne, she says, is a specific type of wine that “cuts the sweetness of the berries just a bit.”

A few years ago, she wanted to make it again, but found it was a little more difficult to find that exact beverage. Now she has modified the recipe, and it can be done with any white wine.

Mr Harrison’s specialty, though, is her peach rum jam.

She is open with sharing her beloved recipe to all, and she says it is so important that once the peaches are ripe, there is no time to waste. The jam must be made right away.

To get the peach skin off, some may choose to boil the fruit until the skins slips off, or some use a knife to simply peel it off.

“I used to chop the peaches by hand, so the pieces were all uniform, but now I’ve got an immersion blender with an attachment that chops,” Ms Harrison said about the next step.

Usually, she makes a couple batches at once and cuts about four cups of chopped peaches before putting them in rum to soak.

She recommends pre-measuring everything beforehand, emphasizing that “You have to be organized and have everything ready because once you start, you have to finish.”

Once all the batches are prepared, the rum peaches are put in her special stockpot with a copper bottom, which her mother-in-law gave her as her “jam-making pot.” She then stirs in a packet of Sure-Jell and 5 cups of sugar.

From there, the mixture needs to be brought to a rolling boil for a minute, while constantly stirred. During that time, she adds her secret ingredient: half a teaspoon of butter (which melts quickly and reduces the foam on top that needs to be removed).

Ms Harrison runs her jars through the dishwasher and boils the two-piece lids to sterilize everything and keep them hot. Once she scoops the jam in the jar and puts the lid on, she turns the jar upside-down to let the heat seal it.

However, if the lid does not properly seal, she says people just have to “eat your mistakes” and refrigerate it after.

Throughout last year, Ms Harrison made 200 jars of jams. The hobby has become therapeutic for her as a time to relax and do something she enjoys.

She encourages all recipients of jam or jelly gifts to return their cleaned jars back the person they got it from to not only be courteous, but to also have a higher likelihood of receiving a refill in the future.

For those looking to start making their own jams and jellies, she recommends first using a quick and “forgiving” fruit like blueberry or strawberry.

“But if it doesn’t set well,” she says, with a laugh, “you can still put it on ice cream or pancakes.”