As many of you probably agree, strawberry jam is often cloying, too sweet to be enjoyed. In large part this is because strawberries have little in the way of natural pectin so you really have to add a lot of sugar to compensate. As well, cooking strawberries seems to concentrate their natural sweetness, adding to the sugary taste factor. I tend to avoid adding pectin because the liquid and powder synthetic forms leave a slightly metallic aftertaste and/or an unnatural wobble. Pomona's works well but can be a bit high maintenance, and I never seem to have calcium water readied or the calcium packet within reach. <br />To avoid pectin altogether while jamming with a fruit that really needs it, I use one grated apple per 4 cups of berries and cook things until reduced and thick. What results is a beautiful, richly colored somewhat loosely set preserve whose sweetness is perfectly offset by lemon juice, cardamom and the slight tang of the apple. <br />You can double this recipe, just make sure you ready the appropriate number of jars and use a pot large enough to provide good surface area for the jam as it cooks.

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