Jam Session 2: Love in a Vacuum

It's a miracle we're all sane

We're kinda like sucked in a vacuum.

~Monster Magnet

Yes, we are - except when we're not.

I had myself some serious vacuum issues when I made my banana and date chutney on Saturday.

Having had a 100% success rate with the rings and seals on my admirable Ball jars during my banana jam production earlier in the morning, I decided for my chutney to try the most beautiful jars in my collection, purchased online at great expense from Rocco Bormioli and his filio. They were everything I wanted in my jars: the glass indelibly stamped with spring-like representations of leaves, flowers, fruits and happy bees; the shape - plump and round - reflective of the bounty within. They differed from the American jars in one important respect: their lids were irrevocably welded into a combined seal and screwtop arrangement, as apparently most, if not all, European jars' are.

In retrospect, I think this is a Bad Idea (unless you've learned jam-making under the tutelage of your nonna, I suppose), but as a novice maker of confettura I was blissfully unaware of these beautiful vessels' shortcomings. I was too carried away by their romantic pedigree: Bormioli have been making glassware since 1825, you know!

I whipped up a batch of the most delicious chutney ever and confidently packed the mixture into my glorious Italian vasi, leaving 0.5" of headspace as required by the manufacturer. I screwed on the one-piece lids and lowered the lot into the boiling tub, where they bubbled for the customary ten minutes. When I pulled them out again, three of the six lids were bulging in a noticeable, not to say seriously alarming, way. I hurried them to a secluded spot in the dining room, trusting they would not explode before I got them out of harm's way. After about ten minutes, during which they screeched and clanked (no subtle popping or clicking for these Italian rascals!) the three miscreants were no longer convex, thankfully - but depressed easily under the pressure of my right forefinger. Equally depressed, I mourned my first setback of the day.

I'm drifting in a vacuum of ideas, colors, movements, kapow! kapow!

~Biffy Clyro

Indeed.

I was ready to kapow! kapow! my head against the wall in frustration. Fortunately, the mixture was still hot and I had loads of surplus Ball jars. I hastily prepared a few, filled them with chutney, and processed them. Che gioia! Every single one safe and sealed under its happy dimple.

During all this pandemonium I learned some valuable lessons.

• Ball jars' separate seal and ring attachment worked reliably for our grandmothers, and if it was good enough for them, it's good enough for me. Over two days, I did not have a single vacuum failure using their setup.
• It makes good economic sense to go with these tried-and-true symbols of Americana. Not only do they cost about a two-thirds less than imported jars (plus they are available year-round, in a variety of sizes and shapes, at my local Giant supermarket), the seals can be purchased separately with ease. If one does have a vacuum failure, it is a simple and inexpensive matter to have extra lids standing by.
• The rings themselves, if stored separately from the jars, will last a long time. Again, good financial strategy - and isn't frugality what home preserving is all about?

Banana and Date Chutney

(adapted from a recipe in Well Preserved, by Mary Anne Dragan)

In my big pot, I combined 1 cup of peeled, finely-chopped Granny Smith apples; 0.5 cups finely chopped sweet onions; 1.5 cups apple cider vinegar; and 0.25 cups lime juice (not sure how much the mixture would cook down, I tried to utilize my best knife skills and chop everything into uniformly little pieces). I brought the mixture to a boil and simmered it for ten minutes.

I then added (starting at one o'clock and moving clockwise in the pic to the right): 7 organic bananas (ripe but not mushy!) chopped into 0.5-inch pieces; 1 cup of chopped dates; 0.5 cups of organic Hunza raisins; about three big slices of candied ginger, chopped (the recipe called for 0.25 cups, but the organic ginger I bought could have been used to strip paint, I kid you not); 0.5 cups of brown sugar; 0.25 cups of molasses; and a teaspoon of salt. For spice, I added 0.5 teaspoons each of curry powder, cayenne, allspice, and ground coriander.

I simmered the mixture for 20 minutes until it was good and thick and syrupy. Towards the end, I was able to make a channel with my wooden spoon.The waftings that filled the kitchen were heady and complex - tangy, nose-curling aromas that provided a welcome savory counterpoint to the candy-shop sweetness of the banana jam that had gone before.

Do I see a vacuum there or am I going blind?

~Sting

Well, crystallized ginger and boiling vinegar are enough to bring tears to one's eyes!

I filled and processed my jars - but enough has already been said about THAT.

Next up: with still more bananas in my stockpile, I take a break from my jam sessions and do some spur-of-the-moment gluten-free baking.