Sassafras Jelly

Recipe from Indian Cookin’ by Frances Lambert Whisler (1973, Nowega Press, USA), submitted by Earliner Granier

4 cups strong sassafras tea (strained)*

1 package pectin

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Bring the above ingredients to a roiling boil (a boil that can not be stirred down); boil one minute. Add 5 cups granulated sugar. Return to roiling boil. Boil one minute. Put in sterilized jelly jars; seal and give a 5 minute hot water bath. May take as much as 2 weeks to set-up.

*Use several pieces of the root’s inner bark in 1-1/2 quart water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Let stand to steep 15 minutes. Strain out the bark. Bark may be dried and reuse once or twice more.

Rose Petal Jam

Recipe by Euell Gibbons, submitted by Earline Granier

1 cup prepared rose petals*

3/4 cup water

Juice of 1 lemon

Place in a blender and blend until smooth. With blender still running, gradually add 2-1/2 cups sugar. Run blender until sugar dissolves.

In a small saucepan, stir 1 package pectin into 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil and boil hard for one minute-stirring constantly. Pour pectin into rose sugar mixture and blend on slow until pectin has been thoroughly incorporated with other ingredients. Pour immediately into sterilized jars and seal. Let stand at room temperature for six hours to be nicely jelled. Jam will keep in refrigerator for one month or in the freezer for the winter.

*To prepare rose petals, run rose under running water. Remove petal from stem and clip away the white tips that detached from the stem. The white tip contains a bitter substance that would infiltrate the jam.

Elderberry Jelly

Recipe by Sure-Jell, submitted by Earline Granier

3 cups elderberry juice*

1 box pectin

1/4 cup lemon juice

4-1/2 cups sugar

Place elderberry juice in heavy saucepan with lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a roiling boil; boil one minute. Add sugar. Return to roiling boil, boil one minute. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Place in hot water bath for five minutes. May take two weeks to set-up.

*To make elderberry juice, discard stems and crush ripe berries. Place in a saucepan. Bring to boil slowly until juice starts to flow. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain through double layers of wet cheese cloth placed in a sieve. Do not squeeze as it may produce a cloudy jelly.

Corn Cob Jelly

(tastes like honey)

Recipe from Indian Cookin’ by Frances Lambert Whisler (1973, Nowega Press, USA), submitted by Earliner Granier

4 cups corn cob juice*

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 box pectin

5-1/2 cups sugar

Place corn cob juice, lemon juice and pectin in a heavy saucepan and bring to a roiling boil. Boil one minute. Add sugar. Return to roiling boil. Boil one minute. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Place in hot water bath for five minutes. May take up to two weeks to set-up.

*To prepare corn cob juice, remove kernels from twelve corn cobs. Do not scrape the cob. Place cobs in 2-1/2 to 3 quarters of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer half an hour. Remove from heat. Place in refrigerator over night. Strain juice through double damp cheese cloth in a sieve.

Pea Pod Jelly

Recipe from LaQuita King, submitted by Earline Granier

(tastes like grape or mixed berry jelly)

4 cups prepared pea pod juice*

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 box pectin

5-1/2 cups sugar

Place pea pod juice in heavy saucepan with lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a roiling boil, stirring occasionally. Boil one minute. Add sugar and return to roiling boil. Boil one minute. Pour in sterilized jars and seal. Place in hot water bath for five minutes.

*To prepare pea pod juice, after pink-eyed purple hull peas are shelled, rinse about 100 of the darkest purple hulls. Place hulls in Dutch oven with 1-1/2 quarts water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Place in refrigerator overnight. Strain juice from hulls. Discard the hul

Blackberry Jelly

From Marguerite Wehmer

5 cups blackberry juice, strained (takes about 2-1/2 quarts of blackberries)

1 box pectin

7 cups sugar

Instructions: Follow recipe on pectin box.