Do I have raspberries in my hair?

Loganberries

It may seem like an odd question.  But, it really wasn't that far out there when I asked it.  In fact it was a perfectly appropriate and legitimate question after an evening of making loganberry and raspberry jam.  The ruby-colored 12oz jars of loganberry jam were cooling on a towel at the end of the kitchen counter and I had just finished filling pint jars with freshly made raspberry jam.  The last jar was only about 3/4 full.  So, we decided to pour the hot jam into a 12oz jar instead.  I poured, it splattered all over, and I could feel something land in the hair on the top of my head.  That's when it popped out of my mouth, "Do I have raspberries in my hair?"



I ate this raspberry!  Huge!

You should have seen the look on the husband's face!  I think he wasn't sure if he had heard me right.  Then, he realized he had heard me right.  We started into one of those laughing spells that gets funnier the longer you laugh.  He'd get it together and I'd take off.  Then as I would wind down, he'd take off again.  When the gaffaws finally slowed down to a trickle of giggles, I asked him again, "Seriously!  Do I have raspberries in my hair?"  And, off we went again.

To this very moment, I don't know if I had raspberries in my hair or not.  Well, either way, the jam I licked off the ladle was really good!



Pint jars of Raspberry Jam

Raspberry Jam

INGREDIENTS

3	T Classic Pectin
3¼	cups crushed raspberries
½	t butter
2	cups sugar

Directions

1. Wash raspberries in cool, running water and drain.  Crush berries (not too much if you want raspberry chunks in your jam) one layer at a time using a potato masher.

2. Sprinkle pectin evenly over bottom of the pot fitted with the stirrer.  Add crushed berries evenly over pectin.  Add butter to help reduce foaming.

3. Press the “Jam” button and press enter.  Wait four minutes for the appliance to sound four short beeps indicating that it is time to add sugar.  Add sugar gradually while the stirrer continues running.  Place the glass lid on the pot.  (Now, go read a book for the next 18 minutes.)

4. The appliance will continue to automatically stir your ingredients while it cooks.  When it beeps again at the end of the cycle, press cancel and immediately remove the glass lid.  Remove the stirrer using a pot holder and load up your jars.

5. Process jars in the Electric Automatic Canner according to its directions. 

Let me guess, now you're wondering what the difference is between a loganberry and a raspberry, right?  I'll save you some Googling time.  A guy named James Harvey Logan (Lawyer and Horticulturist) accidentally created them in 1883 in Santa Cruz, CA.  He wasn't happy with his blackberries.  So, he tried crossing two different kinds of blackberries.  However, he planted them right next to his raspberry plants.  Everything flowered and fruited at the same time.  Mr Logan gathered and planted the seeds from those berries. Loganberries are less "seedy" than raspberries and it's stalks are less "thorny" than blackberries.  From his 50 plants came all things loganberry.  So, in a nutshell, a loganberry is a hybrid of a blackberry plant pollenated by a neighboring raspberry. By the way, the loganberry has been used as a parent for more recent crosses, such as boysenberries (loganberry + raspberry + blackberry + dewberry).  Aren't you glad you asked?  Next time you eat a loganberry, think fondly of Judge James Harvey Logan!