the jam that wouldn't set

2025 · 07

The market was heavy with stone fruit this week, the kind that's perfect for one day and then all wants eating at once, and the man on the stall sold me far more than I could sensibly manage because it was cheap and I have no self-control in July. So I decided to make jam. Never made jam. Went in on the reliable evidence of how hard could it be.

Harder than it looks, is the answer, though not where I expected. The cooking part was easy, the kitchen smelled wonderful, I felt very capable stirring my pot. The trouble came later. It would not set. I ladled it into the jars hot and told myself it would firm up as it cooled, which is what you tell yourself, and in the morning I had six jars of very nice fruit syrup.

Since then I've learned about the cold-plate test, and setting point, and the fact that some fruit simply doesn't have enough of the thing that makes jam jam and needs help. All of which I could have found out before rather than after, if I were a different sort of person.

The first attempt is always the one where you find out what the questions even are. M. pointed that out, gently, then poured some of the syrup over yoghurt and declared it a triumph in disguise. I'm not throwing any of it out. But there's a lot of stone fruit still at the market, and I mean to have another go before the season turns.