I’m a beginning preserver.
A beginner in that I learned how to put up jam only last year. More so, a beginner in that I don’t quite have a handle on realizing I have to eat what I’ve preserved.
The jars of green beans and peaches were a delightful surprise. However, the many many jars of pantry jam have me realizing I don’t eat that much toast, or jammy cookies.
My jam guilt turned my mind to resourcefulness, and I now have a quart of apricot vanilla soda in my refrigerator, by the graces of my beginning jam excursions. Oh yes. I don’t even have to suggest what a bounty this could be… bourbon mixers, sodas, Italian cream sodas in any flavor of jam you have?
A little warm water, a soda siphon, and your tasty summer efforts are all you need to create an amazing array of flavored sodas.
Jam soda
makes one quart
materials:
- 1 quart pyrex measuring cup, or similar sized mixing vessel with a pouring lip
- whisk
- 1 quart lidded jar
- strainer
- funnel
- soda siphon
- CO2 cartridge
ingredients:
- 1 cup of jam (or a half pint jar)
- hot (almost boiling) water
- lemon juice
instructions:
- Measure into the 1 quart pyrex measuring cup the half a pint of jam.
- Slowly whisk in the hot water, 1/2 a cup at a time till you have one quart of jammy liquid.
- Pour the hot jammy liquid into the 1 quart size storage jar and refrigerate until cold.
- When cold, strain the jammy liquid of any fruit solids into the quart sized pyrex.
- Add 1 Tbs of lemon juice to the strained jammy liquid.
- With the funnel in place, fill the soda siphon with the strained jammy liquid.
- Lid and charge with one CO2 (soda) charger and shake vigorously.
- Pour into an iced cup and enjoy straight up or with a drizzle of half and half.
More lovely things to do with jam
- Orangette, Brown Butter Spoon Cookies with Jam: “they turn out smooth and curvy, the approximate size and shape of a flattened egg. They’re pale gold and flecked with toasted bits of butter, and you sandwich them with a festive sash of jam across the waistline. They’re sophisticated but still approachable, eminently edible. If they were human, you’d want to pinch their cheeks and buy them a drink.“
- 101 Cookbooks, Rombauer Jam Cake Recipe: “moist, with berry undertones, a sugary crispness from the brown sugar icing. Delicious. A perfect autumn and/or holiday cake –just be sure to use a good quality jam.”
- Chez Pim, Homemade Pop Tarts: “if you’re one of those who think a great pie is all about a good crust–I am of course one–these pop-tarts are perfect for you. They are filled with just enough delectable jam to punctuate the flavor without obscuring the buttery, flaky goodness of the crust.”
- the Kitchn, Easy Appetizer Template: Jam + Pork + Cheese: “The combination of sweet, salty, and creamy is sure-fire success, trust us, and you can mix up the components in dozens of different ways.”
20 Comments
I REALLY like this idea. I, too, am not a toast’n'jam eater, and people keep giving me preserves… Bingo!
Look at you! JAM SODA! In all my years of having a jam and marmalade collection I NEVER would have thought! So innovative!
Please don’t leave behind the famous Bakewell Tart for fabulous uses of jam. Or Jammy Dodgers. Or mixed into tart yogurt. Or eaten out of the jar with a spoon for no special occasion.
That sounds freaking delicious. We’re looking forward to making interesting jams and jellies from Asian fruit! perhaps stage 2 of jam making is as a cocktail mixer? Kumquat jam-soda and rum anyone?
Ooo I’m drooling over here!
For some odd reason I didn’t put bourbon in my apricot soda. I must go fix that.
–McAuliflower
Oh thank god. Oh thank you. I still have jars of jam from last season and my horrible attempt at shortbread cookies with strawberry freezer jam fell flat. JAM SODA OF COURSE! And of course, this could be the perfect base for spring/summer cocktails, right?
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
i put jam in plain yogurt too – yum!
Home made jam makes oatmeal even more delicious,(also roasted pecans). I came to your site via marshmallows do you just cook fruits into a puree for your recipe. Thanks
Ooh apricot vanilla soda sounds so very delicious! I always put jam on the side of my bowls of cereal, but that’s just me.
I spend at lot of money at http://www.sodaclub.com because I have an intense soda addiction and like to make my own. I was also saying this morning that I have to put up more preserves next year since I’m all out of jam. I mix it with yogurt, use it as the base for BBQ sauces, mix with soy sauce for cooking chicen and serving over rice, tossing into cookie or pancake batter, etc.
Alton Brown has a good celery soda recipe. Seems worth trying but I don’t prefer to drink my calories, unless they’re in a mojito. Made basil mojitos last weekend.
Oh, yum. Apricot vanilla would be just perfect. And this is a seriously fantastic way to use up end-of-season preserves. I am TOTALLY lobbying for a soda siphon
You are officially brilliant.
yummy….sounds delicious…I’ll try this version. thanks.
What a great idea. I am definitely going to try it.
When I was young my family used to can fruit, make jam and freeze all kinds of things for the winter.
I found jam, with a little water added makes a wonderful fruit syrup/spread for waffles and pancakes.
As mentioned above, excellent in hot cereal and mixed in yogurt as well.
It will keep for a couple years, if you cannot use it up within a reasonable time.
I wish you would write more. Yours is my very favorite food blog.
Totally fizzilicious! (Is that even a word?) Anyway, this is definitely a try-out list topper….
Now that’s what I call creative!!! I would have never thought of that, but it makes sense. Watch out Coca-Cola!
Oh just you wait! You are going to have so much fun thinking of all the crazy fresh flavors you can whip up.
Cheers
–McAuliflower
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