Dragonflies

Every year, in the late summer, we get a lot of big green or blue dragonflies darting about

the yard and garden. A few years ago, one got stuck in the deer netting I had put up (which catches dragonflies, but does absolutely nothing to deter Montana deer!) I find these insects so fascinating, and just hated to see this guy in distress. I got a pair of scissors and -very carefully- cut the netting so he could get out.

I swear that for years he would come back around and say hello to me...

I looked up "about Dragonflies" on Google. This is what I found....

Dragonflies are fascinating insects with a rich history and unique characteristics. Here are some interesting facts about dragonflies:

1. Dragonflies are ancient insects that have been around for over 300 million years. They were one of the first winged insects to evolve, even before the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

2. Dragonfly nymphs live in the water and breathe through their anus. They hunt other aquatic invertebrates and even small fish or tadpoles.

3. Most new dragonfly adults are eaten by predators in the first few days after their emergence.

4. Dragonflies have excellent vision that helps them detect the movement of other flying critters and avoid in-flight collisions.

5. Dragonflies are masters of flight and can fly in all directions, including backward.

6. Male dragonflies fight for territory and have multiple sex organs.

7. Some dragonflies migrate, with some species traveling up to 11,000 miles across oceans and continents.

8. Dragonflies thermoregulate their bodies by adjusting their wings to different angles to capture or reflect sunlight. Dragonflies are winged insects that belong to the group Odonta, which goes back 325 million years. They have large compound eyes, transparent wings with coloured markings, and long bodies. They can fly up to 35 miles an hour and backward, and some species can migrate thousands of miles. They are fearsome predators of other insects, as well as small fish and tadpoles, using their lower jaw or their flying ability to catch their prey. They start their lives in the water, where they hatch from eggs and live as nymphs for up to three years.

Cherry Jelly

Cherry Jelly is a very mild, unassuming jelly. It does not pack the same punch as say, blackberry or raspberry jam and jelly. So I do not make as much of it as I do raspberry and strawberry freezer jam. But it sets up very prettily and is a lovely taste of summer to put into Christmas baskets.

(Disclaimer here--I am not giving you a recipe for Cherry Jelly)

After picking cherries and making Cherry Syrup, (see my Cherry Syrup blog) I still have all this cherry juice left. Fruit juice can easily be frozen until you have "extra" time (which can be a real commodity during the summer months).

Using Sure-Jell, follow the directions for cooked jelly that come in the box. If you want success, do not skimp on sugar. Sure Jell has a Low or No Sugar Needed option on the market if you are interested in trying it. My mom has used it for jams, but not for jelly, so sorry, but I cannot give you an opinion on it.

Follow the directions exactly. Timing is very important with jelly. You do not want to go through all the work of making the fruit juice and all the cost of ingredients, only to have things not jell because you did not time things properly.

Two things I have found that help immensely to make my jelly firm and pretty:

1-Strain the juice of half a lime into the cherry juice when you measure it into the pot. This adds acid that helps the jelly actually ...well...jell.

2- add a bit of butter to the pot before the jelly begins to boil. This will help keep the foaming down. It really does help!

When your jelly has cooked and you turn off the stove, skim the bit of (inevitable) foam off the surface with a spoon. Immediately ladle the hot jelly into small, clean jars. With a wet cloth, wipe the rims and top with hot lids. Screw the lids down tight and set them on the cupboard, with space around each jar, to cool. You will hear the lids pop and seal - a very satisfying sound! Now they can be stored in the pantry until time to gift or eat!

Peach Freezer Jam

We are smack dab in the middle of harvest time! Most years, I stick with raspberry and strawberry freezer jam. But this year, I got a hankering for peach jam. This is a step-by-step tutorial on how to make it. I have lots of photos...

I bought 8 large peaches for 2 batches of jam. You need 3 cups of prepared fruit for each batch. Wash 14 cups-worth of jars, 8, 12 or 16 ounces each. The recipe says it makes 6 cups of jam, but I got 7 out of each batch. Assemble all the equipment you will need before you start.

For peeling the peaches, put a large pot of water on to boil. I found this "steamer" pot at an estate sale this past month, but any large pot works just fine. Run a sink full of cold water. Immerse 3-4 peaches at a time, into the boiling water for 3 minutes. Working quickly, remove the peaches from the boiling water and drop into the cold water. (They can stay there until you peel them.)

When all your peaches are in the cold water, dump out the how water--you will not longer need it. The peaches in the cold water will peel amazingly well.

I find that the best peaches for canning and jam making are the ones oftentimes referred to as "clings". "Freestone" peaches are much easier to break away from the pit, but not nearly as juicy and sweet. I tried a few pieces of these and they were almost like candy!

To peel a peach, slide the tip of a small knife between the skin and the flesh. You will see that it comes away easily and the skin can be removed, with the help of your knife, without leaving any on the peach.

(BTW: This technique is the same for canning peaches and tomatoes.)

Slice the fruit from the pit and then roughly chop each slice into chunks. I found that 3 1/2 peaches made about 3 cups of fruit.

With a potato or burger masher, smash the chunks of peach as finely as you like (I like a few chunks in my jam).

If you want your peach (and apricot) jam to stay nice and summer-colored, and not brown as it ages, add 1/2 tsp of Fruit Fresh for each cup of mashed fruit (a trick my Mama taught me!). Also, to ensure that the jam jells properly, I find that the juice of a whole lime - not lemon, and not the

prepared juice in a squeeze bottle! - works best to insure a nice thickness and jell to your jams. Peaches and apricots do not have sufficient acid or pectin in them to jell up without this additional help. My Nana made amazing freezer jam, but without this particular bit of knowledge, her peach and apricot jams were always very runny --but so good, we never complained!

Now, under most circumstances, I would tell you to find the recipe for this and other jams and jellies in the Sure Jell box. However, I just discovered yesterday, that the company has decided to go modern and tell people to find the recipe on-line. I am not old fashioned (I don't think), but that really pissed me off! The last thing a cook wants to do is stop everything and pull out their computer just to refer to the

recipe-- at least that is how this cook feels!

I do not know if MCP pectin still puts the reference and recipe sheet in their boxes. But I am fortunate to have kept some from previous years..so we are all benefiting from that today!

Put 4 1/2 cups of sugar into a big bowl. Dump the mashed peaches into the bowl and mix well. I did both batches at the same time, essentially, so do the second batch in another bowl. You will find that the mixture is very sugary and grainy.

The recipe says to let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve. I find it best to let it sit at least an hour. Stir the mixture often. This makes such a difference in your jam!

Of all the things I did not photograph, it was this next step:

In a small sauce pan, mix one package of Sure Jell with 3/4 cup of water. It may start out lumpy, but as you heat it up, it will smooth out. Bring it to a boil and boil exactly 1 minute. Immediately pour into the peaches and stir for EXACTLY 3 minutes....this is very tiring! But worth it.

Using a funnel, pour into clean jars. Leave about 1/2 inch of headspace to allow for expansion during freezing. Top with used lids (I save all mine from the previous year--except the ones on the salsa, as they smell like..well..salsa). You do not

particularly need new lids. I recycle everything I can. You can see here all the different dates and labels. I will use a Magic Eraser and they come clean--then write the new info on the lid! Voila!

Let your jam sit out on the counter for 24 hours and then put in the freezer.

You have successfully made a lovely batch of summer in a jar, to enjoy with your toast on cold winter mornings!