Take a wok on the sticky side

[desperance]

For lack of a jam-pan, enter my favourite stovetop utensil. A wok is splendidly the right shape for jam-making. Just don't try to pour out of it; I find that not to work so well.

So that's another two pints of strawberry/balsamic/pepper jam potted up. And a fascinating scientific question raised: why does jam appear to get cooler as it boils towards the thickening/setting point? It's not what marmalade does, at all; but seriously. Both the last batch and this, I clocked at 214F when they were nowhere near setting, and then at 209 when they were nearly ready. At which point I abandoned the thermometer and went by eye. There's precious little pectin in this, which must make some kind of a difference: but it's thickening up, water is boiling off, why in the world is the temperature dropping?

And in other related news, some of those strawberries were horribly ugly before they went into the pan. Now they are a shimmering delight to the eye. So here is your beauty tip of the day: when in doubt about your looks, have yourself drawn and quartered and boiled with sugar. *nods*