Now I have a bigger question that has absolutely nothing to do with food. It's about the ability you all have to give practically instant answers to the questions posted here. I asked the pectin question, said to myself...self you can't get an instant answer, just wing it. I took my jars out of the BWB checked the computer and voila! Answers. Are you all wired so that a light goes off each time a question is posted? Scary business, because y'all are busier than a one-eyed cat in a bird store and I don't see how you do it all. I sure do appreciate it, though. jude

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

Thanks....and yes I did mean Tsp....I was reading the lemon juice when I posted it LOL Anyhow, glad it's okay. It did reduce the foaming....I hardly had any to skim off the top and usually my Strawberry jam is covered in foam. Thank you so much for being so quick to answer and letting me know that my jam is safe :) Does anyone know how much would be safe to add to Strawberry jam? I usually get between 4-5 pints out of my recipe. I guess maybe the same amount used in the Apple Pie recipe?

Virginia, I'm sorry, I just saw your message. I went to Stribling's Orchards in the Markham/Warrenton area. Very nice. The family has been on the land since about 1820. Easy to get to from 66, as well. www.striblingorchard.com I decided on a combination of Courtlands and Jonathans. I ended up getting something like 15 pounds so I'll have extra. They're chilling nicely in my spare fridge right now. I got the jars and lids, but I'll be darned if I can find a canning funnel for the 8 ounce jelly jars. Nancy, Yeah, I should have realized that the pressure cooker wouldn't work and would mush the apples. It doesn't a incredible job of mushing sweet potatoes!