I've made a lot of strawberry/hot pepper jams, and a few blackberry pepper jams. I also did apple, pineapple, blueberry/pineapple mixed, and a triple berry. I just take an approved recipe, and add one really hot pepper to the batch. there's no way the addition of one tiny pepper is gonna make it unsafe. and just to be on the safe side I'll add a tablespoon of lemon juice. I use scorpion peppers, but all but a few people tell me it's way too hot. and that's with one pepper. I figure if you take an approved recipe and add a habanero or two it'll probably give you good results. I don't picture a jalapeno one coming out very well because in order to get any heat, you'd need a lot of jalapenos. with hotter peppers you get all the burn while retaining the flavor of the fruit you use. just my 2 cents.

I have an old southern recipe for a red-pepper jelly but it's got plenty of sugar. This one has no pectin but is just ground red peppers, salt, white wine vinegar, and sugar, a good amount of sugar. Maybe that's the recipe they mean as opposed to a more modern bell pepper jelly that may or may not have dried red pepper flakes and liquid pectin. It helps if you can get more detail. My guess is because the flavor of the bell peppers is there along with the vinegar, people who haven't made it but only eaten it just don't realize how much sugar is in that jelly. Carol

I *still* don't get how I made the pectin *3 times*, 3.5C of water and 2 limes to a pan (did the first 2 pans simultaneously, thinking I was going to do 2 separate batches), and each time I got roughly 1.5C instead of 2C (before putting through jelly bag!) that the recipe says it should make? As Carol said there are all sorts of possible reasons. Too much heat (simmering is the very lowest possible amount of heat), or limes that were too small or too dry or insufficiently squeezed, not enough simmering time or more likely way too much simmering time, not near enough time draining in the jelly bag, etc. etc. That, not nearly enough time in the jelly bag, is the most likely cause IMO. 12-24 hours or even longer is common and even squeezing out the jelly bag is needed. Yours couldn't have drained very long at all if made in one day. Recipes aren't perfect. There is no way they can anticipate all the variables that the cook throws into the mix that will affect them. And it is all those human variables that is yet another reason for making 1 batch at a time and taking plenty of time to do it. And as a general guideline, it also works best when it is the recipe that controls the project. Rather than a food that "needs to be used", food that is less than desirable in quality (like scorched limes), or a cook in a hurry. Having all the best quality ingredients needed BEFORE starting the recipe and having the time to make it is necessary for best results. Otherwise, a poor end product is often the result. We learn best from our mistakes - especially if we keep good notes. ;) Dave

First mulberries of 2011! Here in CA just got our first berries today! I went to the neighbors who are novices and they taught ME something. After growing up every year collecting berries on old sheets, they showed me an easier way! They had some sheet plastic that comes in a roll. Like the kind painters use, that unfolds to be about 10 feet wide. Just roll out several sheets of plastic on the ground below your tree (cutting the roll to size as you lay it out.) Then use rakes or other long handled tools to shake the branches. If you have an 8 year old handy, you can get them to climb up and shake the branches too! So lucky to have white mulberries today as I have not had them since I was a kid. I agree, they are very sweet, and do not have the flavor of the purple ones, but then they don't stain your skin or ruin your clothes either! I was so excited to see all these recipes here! My neighbor and I collected about 10 gallons of berries tonight, we didn't even get all the way around either tree, and the harvest has just started! Guess what we will be doing all week! Just glad there is freezer space! Can't wait to try all these recipes! Thanks again!