Week of July 4, 2021

Our arrival to our Keuka Lake house and TAProots farm in late June does not provide much time before harvesting to begin, as the red and white currents are usually ready to pick. After several requests for RED CURRANT JELLY, we picked from bushes on the east and west sides of the graveyard, which were heavy with bright red berries of good size. The red currants are combed by hand off their stems. The jelly recipe calls for 14 cups, so a large volume were picked. Next, the stems and leaves are removed and the required 14 cups are cooked down in a bit of water. The cooked berries and juice are then poured in a jelly bag to yield 5 cups of juice. This juice is then cooked with sugar and Certo gelatin to make red currant jelly. The result is about nine cups of jelly placed in sterilized 4 and 8 ounce glass jars. The tangy red currant jelly is a welcome addition to the breakfast table and a topping to appetizers like Brie. This early harvest is only the beginning to a fruitful year at TAProots Farm.