By Kristina Vanni
It was such a delight to open up the July issue of this publication and read the latest Jonathan’s Journal about the “Land of forest berries and pickers.” The unique Nordic concept of Everyman’s Rights and spending hours in pristine forests searching for wild blueberries, lingonberries, or even the elusive cloudberries are integral parts of Finnish identity.
Of course, once we Finns have gathered bucket after bucket of these delightful gems, it’s time to find a way to preserve summer’s bounty for enjoyment throughout the year. This leads to another important aspect of Finnish culinary identity, the art of preserving. Whether it is pickling, juicing, drying or freezing, traditional Finnish cuisine has found countless ways to capture the iconic flavors and essential nutrients of the harvest. For me, summer isn’t complete without a few days dedicated to making homemade jam.
One of my favorite recipes to make this time of year is a wild blueberry and raspberry jam. It is a simple, yet regal flavor combination known as Queen’s Jam or Kuningatarhillo. This is not a time to substitute the larger, conventional blueberries you typically find in the produce section of an American grocery store. Here, it is important to use these tiny, incredibly flavorful wild blueberries. We know these are plentiful in the forests of Finland, but I have also been lucky enough to enjoy a small harvest collected by my dad while trekking through the woods of the U.P. of Michigan.
However, should you find yourself far from the forest, don’t despair. Frozen wild blueberries also work well in this recipe. I am a fan of the Wyman’s brand, which is readily available in the frozen food section at many grocery stores, and you can even score large bags at Costco.
This preparation uses liquid pectin and is processed in a water bath canner. Once you hear that beautiful popping sound of the seal, you know the product has become airtight and can be stored at room temperature and enjoyed throughout the year. In fact, many of the jars I make in the summer will be Christmas gifts later this year. Once you have jars of kuningatarhillo on hand, you will find countless delicious ways of using it. Besides spreading it on my favorite English muffins, I have also used it as a filling for a cake roll, swirled it into oatmeal, or spooned it over ice cream.
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Kuningatarhillo - Queen’s Jam
- 4 cups wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 4 cups fresh raspberries
- 7 cups sugar
- 1 pouch (3 ounces) liquid pectin
Clean and sterilize 10 half-pint glass canning jars.
Fill a water bath canner with enough water to cover the height of the jars by 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil.
Prepare 10 two-piece closures. Set screw bands aside. Place lids in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat just to a simmer over medium heat, but do not boil. Keep lids warm until ready to use. Do not heat screw bands.
Measure the wild blueberries into a 9x13-inch pan. (If using frozen wild blueberries, thaw first, but do not discard any accumulated juice.) Mash the wild blueberries using a potato masher. Pour the crushed berries and juice into a liquid measuring cup until you have 2 cups. Transfer the crushed berries to a large, deep saucepan.
Measure the raspberries into a 9x13-inch pan. Mash the raspberries using a potato masher. Pour the mashed berries and juice into a liquid measuring cup until you have 2 cups. Add to the saucepan with the wild blueberries.
Add the sugar and mix well. Heat on high until the mixture reaches a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the liquid fruit pectin and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.
Using a large slotted metal spoon, skim off any accumulated foam from the surface of the jam.
Ladle the hot jam into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Slide a nonmetallic utensil down between the jam and the inside of the jar two or three times to release air bubbles. Adjust the headspace, if necessary, by adding additional hot jam. Using a clean, damp paper towel, wipe the jar rim and threads to remove any jam residue. Using a magnetic utensil, lift a hot lid from the water and center it on a jar. Place a screw band on the jar and screw the band down evenly and firmly until fingertip-tight. Do not overtighten. You might not have enough jam to completely fill all 10 prepared jars.
When all the jars are filled, carefully transfer the jars to the boiling water in the canner and cover. Allow the water to return to a full rolling boil over high heat. Process the jars for 10 minutes as the water continues to boil rapidly. At the end of the processing time, turn off the heat and remove the jars. Place the jars upright on a towel in a draft-free area and let them cool undisturbed for 24 hours. During this time, the lids will make a popping sound when they seal.
After 24 hours, check the lids for a seal. When you press down in the center of each lid, sealed lids will be concave and will not move when pressed. Jars that haven’t sealed properly will bounce back and should be refrigerated immediately.
Label the sealed jars and store them in a cool, dry, dark place.