serious.

I had my very first write-up in this months issue of Metro Magazine! It began with a phone call from the fabulous Mecca Bos-Williams, in which there was so much food talk, story telling and giggling that I forgot that I was being interviewed for an article on canning. Fast forward to a perfect summer day and a photo shoot in my back yard. Thanks to Bryan Nanista and Tate Carlson for such a fun-time afternoon! We drank ginger beer and ate toast and jam while I learned the fine art of hand modeling and adding the ingredients slowly to the pan. I learned quite a bit about making a berry tumble beautifully that day!

In the article, I am demonstrating the jam recipe I wrote for the magazine — Raspberry, Rhubarb, Pimms.  A perfect bite of summer!

You know that song Sleepwalk by Santo & Johnny — that one with the sleepy steel guitar? In what felt like the last song at the last dance of the school year, my husband and I showed up for berry pickin’ at the last hour of the last day of the season. And this song was stuck on a loop inside my head.

While there were plenty of berries to be had,

the largest ones were few and far between. Straight from the plant they were warm, sweet and delicious (what? I had to taste one to make sure they were good!), even though some of them were Barbie-sized.

With some tenacity and field acrobatics,

we were able to pick enough berries to eat with every meal for the next 3 days.

But don’t panic — I’ve got your back. There’s a secret stash of berries I’m already finessing into strawberry, balsamic, black pepper jam. I’ll post shortly a form so that you place your pre-orders.

 Testing, testing 1,2,3…4…5? oh dear..6?

Yes — I have tested this recipe six times. However! today the stars and planets aligned for me and I finally nailed down the elusive parsley, lemon, and honey jelly recipe. Big sigh. It now goes into Beta testing (aka, the-people-in-my-neighborhood-who-come-running-with-tasting-spoons-in-hand-when-I-call). Cross your fingers and toes that this could be the first Serious Jelly flavor. My ego can’t take a 7th go at this.

What delicious torture to have to wait for strawberry season to arrive. And what a mad scramble to eat as many as humanly possible in the brief few weeks they are available in Minnesota! But finally after what seemed to be an endless wait, they are ripe and ready to be picked. I am looking forward to strawberry shortcake, strawberries in salads, in scones, in cream, on ice cream, in a bowl, in my hand — oh, and jam!

Strawberry, Balsamic, Black Pepper jam is on deck, and I can’t wait to get in the kitchen.

Here I am! And I’m Serious.