Marmellata ai frutti di bosco- Mixed berry jam

"Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take berries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know".- Groucho Marx 

All I know is that this jam neither tastes like rhubarb nor prunes.  It is more like a combination of tart citrus with  tangy forest berries. Another thing I can tell you is that this is really easy to make, almost too easy. It is probably quicker to make this jam at home rather than going to the shops and buying a jar. Not to mention home made jam always tastes so much better. I have been making this jam for years and labelling it "Kara's zesty berry jam', and I always have a jar at hand (those close to me will testify). The Italian name for this jam sounds so much more romantic than mine "marmellata ai frutti di bosco". I love the vibrant red hues of the fresh plump berries and the spewing blood like lava that overflows as it boils away on the stove. This was one of the first photographs I up-loaded on my homepage but never provided the recipe, I guess sometimes the simple things get overlooked. Well, I hope the recipe was worth the wait- I am sure you will love the berrylicious goodness.

what you need:

750g mixed red fresh berries

600g sugar

peel and juice of one lemon

how to make:

1: simply place all of the ingredients in a heavy based pan and bring to a slow boil. Once it has reached the boil, allow it to boil away on a low heat for about 25 minuets. Keep your eye on the mixture and stir occasionally with the lid off.

2: Sterilize glass jars by boiling in hot water, removing with tongs and placing on a clean cloth.

3: Remove the lemon rind then pour the hot jam in the sterilized jars and seal immediately