Favorite Memories...

Summer is officially here and that means some of my favorite things: sunshine, gardening and seeing the hard work in the garden pay off, county fairs, and strawberry picking!

One of my favorite memories from growing up, was picking fresh strawberries from a strawberry patch with my dad for a 4-H project. This was before he was sick and I'm not sure how old I was. Some background info: as you probably know, 4-H and the county fair was a huge part of my growing up. Our county prided itself on one of the best county fairs in Iowa and the competition was very stiff! There was always this mad scramble to finish up perfect 4-H projects for the exhibit building and balancing that with working with our animals, so they would be at their best for the show ring. Plus, that meant you could catch up with friends from across the county, that you only saw during fair time. That was pre-cell phone, pre-Facebook!

Going back to the strawberry project... my 4-H project was canned strawberry lemonade concentrate. I needed fresh strawberries and lemons, so my dad took time out of his busy days to help me pick strawberries at this berry patch up North. Then I came home and started on this recipe, which ended up being a Grand Champion and advancing to the Iowa State Fair and received a blue ribbon.

Last week, I decided to pick strawberries with a friend and make this recipe again. It turned out as good as it was from way back (I think).

Here's the recipe from the Ball Blue Book, the best resource for home canning (my humble opinion!):

Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate (Canned Version)
Here's the link:
http://www.freshpreserving.com/recipe.aspx?r=245

Makes about 7 (16 oz) pints
The sweetness of fresh, ripe strawberries adds the perfect balance to tart lemons in this recipe. Preserving the freshness allows you to serve this summertime favorite at any special occasion throughout the year.

You will need:

6 cups hulled strawberries
4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 cups granulated sugar

Directions:

1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready to use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) PURÉE strawberries in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade, working in batches, until smooth. Transfer to a large stainless steel saucepan as completed.
3.) ADD lemon juice and sugar to strawberry puree, stirring to combine. Heat to 190° F over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
4.) LADLE hot concentrate into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
5.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

QUICK TIP:
To reconstitute, mix one part concentrate with one part water, tonic water or ginger ale. Adjust concentrate to suit your taste.