So if the jars are opened and tasted, win a ribbon,they are not displayed? They keep them for display here. Only last year did the new, young girl open the jams and jellies, prior to that they didn't open and taste, They are afraid of illness.I can understand, the year I judged at the pumpkin/apple fall festival I promptly came home and threw up. To this day I cannot eat a cream cheese frosting. Our new ag director is lazy, he got rid of all the contests that had corporate sponsors, big cash awards and a free pass the day of the contest to bring in the product. I have one of the fair shares we get parking, 14 passes and 2 show tickets. The shares now sell for $10,000, can you tell we like the fair around here? We are very limited to the amounts we can enter, if I make 2 different cherry jams I can only enter one cherry. Other than that you have a misc jam category, my own Rhuberries Jam came in 2nd last year I was proud of that, fruits usually don't place for that it is usually the habeneros that win there cause they have no other place to go. Wow Shirley 20.00 entry fee! Ours here is 2.00 per person per building, we have the ag building, the hort building and the arts and crafts buildings for general public, then the kids have the education building. Premiums are low here, 9.00 for a blue for most of the things in the ag building and 3.00 for a blue in the hort building. Plus you are competing with businesses. The giant pumpkin you get 25.00 and bragging rights. I am doing another scare crow display that is 100.00 blue, won 75.00 2nd 2 years ago for Rosie the Rivitor. Creative Arts Canned Goods, intresting,do they have the premium book online? A few of the old ladies and I were talking last year, we didn't know our canned displays could have other items in the basket and the one that threw a jam jar in won circle of champions, we know this year, lol. look out competiton is going to be heavy.

in case you guys were wondering what it came out looking like, here's the pic. by volume it was probably 3/4 pineapple (this is before the sugar went in), but the color would lead one to believe it was mostly blueberry. I think it came out wonderfully. with the addition of one carolina reaper pepper, it's wonderfully spicy too. excellent addition to a morning bagel if you're like me and aren't a morning person. it wakes you right up. 1 large pineapple, 8oz blueberries 1 tbsp lime juice 1 carolina reaper pepper 3 cups sugar 3 tbsp ball NSN powder pectin yield: 3 pints I threw the pepper, the blueberries, and the pineapple in the blender and blended til smooth, from there I followed normal jam making procedure, and boiling water processed for 10 min. it set very well, I am quite happy with the consistency and texture. I also made another spicy pineapple (no blueberries), spicy apple spice, spicy chocolate strawberry, and non spicy strawberry jam for my wife, who can't handle the spicy jams. with those and the hot sauces, I think I have most of my christmas list taken care of now.

I made pineapple jam not too long ago. one pineapple, and one deseeded brain strain, 3 tablespoons of no sugar needed pectin, and 3.5 cups of sugar. I put the pineapple and the brain strain in the blender together, blended until fine, then boiled it up without straining it out. I got 6 half pint jars out of it, at the perfect level of heat to burn up my family, and not have me too bored. it would probably go great on a pork tenderloin too. I'm already down to one jar, everyone loved it, and insisted on getting one for christmas.

This is my recipe beginning with a base recipe from Helen Witty. Apricot Pineapple Preserves Categories: Canning & Preserving Jams and Jellies Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3 pounds ripe apricots (large ones if possible) 1/3 cup lemon juice (fresh not bottled) lemon pips 6 cups sugar (2 lbs. 12 1/4 oz.) 1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple Scald apricots and skin. (About 40 seconds in boiling water or less depending on ripeness.) Quarter apricots. Ream lemon and strain juice. Place seeds in a bag. Combine apricots and lemon juice. Stir in sugar. Add seeds to the pan and set mixture in the refrigerator overnight or out on the counter for a few hours. Stir occasionally to distribute undissolved sugar. When ready, place mixture in a pan on medium heat. Bring to a hard boil then simmer 10 minutes, skimming foam. Use a spatula to avoid breaking fruit. Cook another 20 minutes or so until fruit is translucent. Don't overcook. A shorter time is fine; avoid turning apricot pieces to mush. Pour mixture into a bowl and cool. Cover with a cloth and let rest overnight again. Lift apricots out with a slotted spoon and drain well over a bowl to catch syrup. Drain crushed pineapple separately. Be sure it is drained thoroughly. Return syrup without fruit to the pan and set over medium-high heat. Boil rapidly to jelly stage (220°) or, if desired, a bit softer. Stir in crushed pineapple and reheat. Carefully stir in apricots and any remaining syrup. Boil 1 minute. Pull off heat and let cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to distribute fruit. BWB 5 minutes for sterilized jars, 10 minutes for hot clean jars. This will yield about 7 8-ounce jars. Carol