Having been raised harvesting Alaska wildberries you’d think I would be a pro at making jams and jellies. Truth is, I really stink at it. It always comes out syrupy. It’s like you have to have some sort of instinctual jam-making knowledge passed down through the generations.

But in reality all it takes is a lot of stirring. My mom has been making jam since she moved here in 1982. I turned to her for this segment of “Harvesting Anchorage.”

It was a bluebird day in Anchorage as we made our way to our super-secret blueberry spot. The only downside of picking berries on a sunny day is they are harder to see — but I’m not complaining!

Mama’s Blueberry Jam — a free recipe

Cooking time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 cups blueberries
• 4 cups white sugar
• zest and juice of 1 lemon (optional)

Continue reading Harvesting Anchorage: Mama’s Blueberry Jam →