Raspberry Jelly!

I have three young red raspberry vines in the berry patch. No way could they produce the two quarts needed for one small batch of jelly, so when I saw fresh California raspberries at a great price, I gritted my teeth  and latched onto enough to do it! It didn't matter that I had enough chores lined up that I couldn't see an end in sight.  I would find the time to make red raspberry jelly!

One tip, fresh from the pectin package directions: Hold back a few berries if you want a thicker jelly. I was going to anyway just because, well, they're fresh berries!  :)  I'll still watch the farmers' markets for the local berries unless my little berry patch produces a humongous amount of berries this year!

Making jelly takes a little longer than making jam but the result is a smooth spread with no annoying seeds to get stuck in your teeth. On the other hand, jams and preserves give you the pulpy sensation of fresh berries. I like them all but if you want a smooth spread, you may want to plan for the additional items needed and the time involved. The result is worth it. 

So I gathered all my tools together before I started cleaning the berries. This time I decided to use my trusty tomato presser from last year's tomato processing. This little handcrank machine (top pic on the left) would remove seeds of the raspberries instead of my mashing them by hand as the directions said or using a food mill. Using this presser is a workout and it's a little awkward to put together, but it's effective. This step cuts down the time needed to strain the clear, fragrant juice that will turn into jelly. Then, once you start cooking, it goes so fast! Have the jars ready!  Two quarts of red raspberries should produce six cups of jelly.