Blackberry Syrup or Jam

Raspberry season is basically over, except for a few stragglers on some "everbearing" variety we just started this year, but blackberry season is still going.

The blackberries just grow wild along the wood margin out back. They don't keep very long, even in the fridge, so every time I get about a pint or so, I make it into syrup. Sometimes it sets into jam when it cools, hence the title of this blog entry.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of sugar to a pint of blackberries and simmer on medium-low for about 20 minutes after it comes to a slow boil. Strain out the pulp, and let it cool.

I don't have cheesecloth, so I just use a big strainer. Some of the seeds get through, but they float, and can be skimmed off the top, which I hadn't yet done with this still hot off the stove batch. This pint of blackberries yielded not quite a teacup full of syrup, or jam/jelly, if that's what it turns into when it cools.

If it stays syrup, it's great on pancakes, waffles, or vanilla ice cream. Might be good on chocolate ice cream too, inasmuch as chocolate goes well with raspberries. If it gels, then it's good on toast, for use in the center of "thumbprint" cookies, or even cooked further into hard candy.