FREEPORT, Ill.-- Strawberry season is right around the corner, and there’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh-picked strawberries. These naturally sweet berries are packed with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, making them as nutritious as they are delicious. If you find yourself with a bumper crop this summer, why not preserve that fresh flavor to enjoy all year long? From homemade strawberry jam to apple jelly, pear preserves, or peach marmalade, sweet spreads are a delightful way to capture the taste of the season.
Making jams and jellies at home is a simple and rewarding way to preserve food. With just fruit, sugar, pectin, and a few essential kitchen tools, you can create flavorful spreads your family will love. Understanding the basic principles behind the process, such as balancing the proper ratio of fruit, pectin, acid, and sugar, is key to achieving a perfect set and a safe product.
University of Illinois Extension will offer Preserving Practice: Jams and Jellies to build your food preservation skills and gain kitchen confidence. This hands-on workshop begins in the classroom and then moves to the kitchen for a practical experience. During the first portion of the class, participants will learn about the different types of sweet spreads, the science behind gel formation, and essential jam- and jelly-making techniques. In the second half, participants will put their knowledge into action by preparing their own jar of jam to take home.
Preserving Practice: Jams and Jellies will be held Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U of I Extension Office located in Building R at Highland Community College, 2998 W. Pearl City Road, Freeport, IL. Registration required; class size is limited. Register by calling U of I Extension at (815) 235-4125 or online at go.illinois.edu/YYC. The registration deadline is Friday, May 22.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.