Mom's Apricot Jam

Combine  4 cups fruit
                 3 cups sugar

Let sit 2 hrs.
Cook till it gets thick.

That's all I have written on my paper.  Define "thick", you may say.  Well, according to my mom, you cook it till the thin liquid just begins to thicken into syrup.  The test:  you put a tablespoon of the golden liquid onto a plate and put that into the fridge for oh- just the right amount of time.  And when you take it out, it slides ever so slowly across the plate rather than running.  Last year I made the jam, and obviously boiled it far too long.  It completely lost its golden color in the brownness of thick syrup.  I was determined that that was not going to happen this year. 
One bowl had sat for 2 hours, and one for 3 hours when I called Mom. 
What do you think, Mom?  Would it work if I just let it sit overnight? 
Oh no - that would be far too long. 
What about if I mix the 2 hour batch with the 3 hour batch? 
Well of course that would be fine. 

How fine do you cut the fruit? 
Really quite fine.
How often do you stir? 
Often enough, you know.



Then there's the foam.  You have to skim the foam off the pot of simmering apricots and sugar or the jars don't seal.  And the jar with the skimmed off foam is the best - you put that onto fresh bread and it all melts into your mouth. 




Three of the four jars have popped as I've been writing.  Sweet sound of success :)