Thanks! I was pretty sure that was the case, but I wanted confirmation from a trusted source. My pears are an old homestead variety, Pineapple Pear. They ripen in late June, early July.

Well then, that must have been my problem because I did double the recipe!! I didn't realize you couldn't! I know you're not supposed to fool around with amounts in recipes so you keep the acid ratio correct, but where this was just strawberries and sugar and nothing else in the recipe I figured it was ok! I guess not! And I measured out 4 quarts of whole strawberries. The recipe was 2 quarts of strawberries and 6 cups of sugar. It didn't say to cut them or mash them before measuring - in fact (I'm remembering off the top of my head here as I don't have the book with me) it said to crush the strawberries one layer at a time and then to mix with the sugar, so it sounded to me like you measured the whole strawberries, then crushed them and that's what I did. I'm not going to fuss with what I already made - as I said, it won't go to waste as hubby will use it as pancake topping - we've even been known to plop a spoonful of jam in a bowl of oatmeal, so this stuff will work for that as well. But I'm glad I spoke up because for future adventures in jam, I wouldn't have known any of this and would probably have given up on it if I kept failing! And I thought it was weird that the jam recipe that used the pectin used an extra cup of sugar from the one without pectin. I've learned so much from just this thread - thanks so much guys! I want to take my next adventure into the realm of peaches! Peach jam sounds yummy and if I fail again, hubby does like peaches, so he'll have more pancake topping than he knows what to do with lol!! Lisa

A very simple recipe from my 83 year oldis Mother, who this year is still preserving food. Start with 2 gallons apples, sprinkle with fruit pectin. Cover with 4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup vinegar. Cover and let set over night. The next morning put your cans in a pan and cover with water and let get real hot, also do the same with your flats. Cook apple mixture about 30 minutes, doesn't take long to cook them, fill jars and put lids on. No need for hot bath or canner, and you can leave peel on if you prefer. Makes good fried pies, or pie fillng, or just good fried apples. You really need to try this method, very simple and time saving. I am usually hesitant to use simple measures, but this one works.

Here's my English Apple Pie recipe: 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup flour 2 tsps. ground cinnamon 3 Tbsp. water 1/2 cup chopped pecans 4 large cooking apples, peeled and sliced (about 6 cups) 1/2 cup granulated sugar heavy cream or half-and-half In a medium bowl beat butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Stir in flour, 1 tsp. cinnamon and the water until smooth and thick. Stir in pecans. Mound apples in a 9"quiche dish. Mix granulated sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon; sprinkle over apples. Spoon pecan topping over apples in dollops. Bake on lowest rack of preheated 375° oven 45 to 50 minutes, until apples are tender when pierced. Serve in bowls. Top with cream. Serves 8.