Hi again! Okay, I am loving this! I just brought my macerated strawberries to a simmer, and they are just the loveliest color! Beautiful! Now they are back in the fridge until tomorow! I love how this whole process really only makes you do a small amount each day as well! Pretty simple, so far! Now, as people really liked my jam at market yesterday (I did get $5 per 1/2 pint, and sold about 12 - it was a pretty slow day at market, as market is winding down and there aren't as many vendors there anymore, especially not the most popular.) Anyway, I want to try more flavors! I did the No Sugar Strawberry Pineapple Jam that Carol posted at some point. I thought it would be nice to have a no sugar added item. I made 2 batches of the that, and ended up with 5 1/2 pints. I used one as a sample, and the rest all sold. I was really happy with that! People were really happy that I had something with no added sugar! Personally, (sorry!) I don't care for it, but people who aren't used to a lot of sugar really liked it. So, more of that for next week. Okay, so on to my new questions! I am going to try making Linda Lou's Apple Pie Jam - sounds SO yummy!!! I am wondering if this can be made without adding the pectin? I am guessing so, as my understanding is apples are pretty high in natural pectin (right?), but with all the other things added, I don't want to ruin it by not adding the pectin. I got Granny Smith apples, if it makes any difference. I just don't want to add the pectin if it is going to make a firm setting jam - just REALLY don't like that firm set! And I've not gotten anything but when using pectin. Oh, one more question. I've read about the green apple jam used as pectin. Pretty much all the apples around here were lost, with a late spring freeze, so the only place to get apples right now, right near us at least, is at the grocery store. They don't carry underripe fruit (except bananas!) I saw mentioned somewhere that Granny Smiths work for a green apple jam, but it wasn't really referring to a jam to be used as pectin, rather as one to eat like that. So, are GS's any good for a pectin jam, or no? I love the idea of a totally natural pectin, when I need it! Boy am I full of questions! You have no idea the amount of time I have speant reading and searching all the jam stuff! I requested that the local library purchase the Jamlady Cookbook and Mes Confitures, but I'll have to see what happens with that! Last time I requested one, I finally gave up and bought it new, only to have them call 2 weeks later and say they had the book now and got to have it first! (I didn't want to tell them I got tired of waiting, so I went and checked it out, even though I already had it at home - didn't want them to think I was unappreciative!) I won't be suprised if that happens again, as i am REALLY wanting these books! (Yes, I made enough last night to buy one, but hubby just told me last night that ABSOLUTELY NO unnecessary money gets spent for a while, so I figured I'd better contribute my profits to the home finances instead!)

I grew up with a tradition of afternoon tea, which came from the Dutch and English side of the family. Mom and grandma had tea and I remember wonderful gatherings of many of my grandma's 8 sisters for afternoon tea. Mom said she had it at her grandma's too, so when I serve tea I like to include great grandma's little china platter for the sweets. But Dutch tea is just plain tea with a cookie, usually a gingerbread one! It took me a while to loose the "high tea" moniker for afternoon tea, I guess Americans think that an afternoon tea with all the china is a "high falutin' affair!" I love all the variations of tea service pieces! Although I can ill afford to ever have a formal tea since I am at work all the time in the afternoon and rarely have company on weekends. I am also greatly enamoured of canapes and finger sandwiches, I love the idea of being able to try a few bites of a lot of different tastes! Again, not something I get to indulge in very often. That's a meal we don't often have anymore at my house, the "make your own sandwich" spread that my mom used to put out. I know it is very common in Europe as a dinner, just some breads, cheeses and meats set out on the table with a few other accompaniments. At least that's the way it was back in the 80's when I was in Germany. They have great coffee houses too. We have them here in the states but no where near as many fine ones. My current town has a nice coffee house but it is not very exciting when it comes to the food offerings. The same dull limited options every single day. The market won't bear anything more I guess.

Oh yum, I love raspberries. You could make that Christine Ferber jam with chocolate and raspberries, it would be yummy on scones. I make raspberry syrup for ice cream or pancakes, but my favorite way to eat them is right off the canes. Mother likes raspberry pie and I make her raspberry mousse sometimes. Annie

I make a chicken salad for sandwiches that has had lots of acclaim. I just cook chicken breasts....simmer in some chicken broth, when cool chop very fine....I use the pulse on the food processor, be careful not to make mush just a very fine mince....then add good mayo to moisten, lots of fresh lemon...about 2 T. lemon juice to every 1/3 cup of mayo, and very very finely chopped celery, about 1/4 cup celery to every cup of chicken. And I make sandwiches using those little appetizer buns, or sometimes I buy a loaf of French bread and cut it about 1/4 inch slices with an electric knife and cut those rounds in 1/4s. and I am all about cucumber sandwiches with party rye. Never heard of cream cheese, spinach and strawberry sandwiches, but I would squeeze frozen spinach very dry, chop and chop again so it's really fine and mix with cream cheese and perhaps a bit of lemon, spread a round of bread and add sliced strawberries....and perhaps just a dot of balsamic vinegar. And lemon bars....always a good thing, brownies cut into 1 inch squares, cut out sugar cookies, no frosting just sugar sprinkles, a bowl of mints and perhaps a plate with tooth picks holding a pineapple chunk and a strawberry. Will you be serving punch? or just tea and coffee?One of my go to punch recipes is simp[ly cranberry juice ( not cranberry cocktail) and an equal amount of 7-up, float lime slices for pretty. And another punch that is not that sherbet stuff is steep 2 cups of strong tea ( 4 tea bags per2 cups water) and add a few slices of fresh ginger to the tea as it is steeping. Then add 2 cups pineapple juice, a can ( small size,,,6 oz) of lemonade concentrate and half a 2 litre bottle of gingerale. Male all ahead and chill and add the cold gingerale just before you serve. If you are having it for the "church ladies" you want to up the wow factor...lol...but I don't know how you will get away without a sheet cake with "Happy Birthday" written on it! Happy birthday to your grandma!! I am sure you will do her proud!