When Mrs. Rowe started making her jam, she did not stop until everything was gone. Once, she was preserving in the kitchen of her restaurant when her son, Michael, came in to tell her that the governor of Virginia was there and would like to meet her. She waved him away. "I can't stop what I'm doing now, especially not for some damned politician."
Makes about 3 pints
9 cups crushed and mashed fresh or frozen berries
6 cups (3 pounds) sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Put the berries through a cone-shaped colander or a blender, which takes most of the seeds out and allows you to take as much of the pulp out as you want
Stir the berries and sugar together in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil slowly over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Boil rapidly to the jelling point, about 20 minutes. As the jam thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Stir in the lemon juice and boil 2 minutes longer.
Remove the jam from the heat and skim off any foam.
Ladle the hot jam into hot, sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top.
Process to seal immediately according to manufacturer's instructions.
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