First of all, just LOOK at what I found in my backyard:
Black raspberries! No shit. Not a lot of them. Just one vine growing out of a rock wall right next to another thorny stem that appeared to have been hacked off by somebody at some point in the past. And I bet that somebody was me. Oh, foolish girl. If only we had half a sense of what we were doing 50% of the time.
So, Smart-People-Who-Know-About-Black-Raspberries, I ask you. How do you propagate these wild things? Can I just chew up the berries and spit them out all over my yard? Or do I have to more closely mimic what birds do? Speak slowly and use very small words.
As for the black raspberries I picked before, those that didn’t end up in the buckle were combined with some strawberries that were past their prime to make preserves. You’ll be glad to note that I didn’t use gelatin this time. I didn’t even use pectin. I just relied on the fruits’ natural gelling properties using my great grandmother's basic technique. And how did it come out? It tastes divine. Truly. I’m not a huge fan of strawberry jam (too sweet), but the raspberries added such a pleasing tartness and improved the color greatly. Just look at its garnet hue:
Actually, it was more purplish in real life. For once the camera improved its subject. The jam still came out too thick for my taste, though. Twenty minutes of boiling was too long in this case. But you can still get it on toast with some muscle, and it’ll make a kick-ass filling for thumbprint cookies.
So that’s it. If you want to hear more about black raspberries, you’ll have to go elsewhere.
OK, here goes. Canes (the long stem-y things with thorns - prickles, jaggers [can you tell I'm originally from Pittsburgh?], ouchies) grow verrrrry long, bend, and touch dirt (the stuff you are standing on - probably brown in color). Where they touch, they root (hug the ground with little feet) and form new plants. The berries are nice and all, but no need to worry about doing the bird thing. Black raspberries can get by with out the S-E-X at all. I end up composting quite a few new plants every year. Stop by sometime and I'll hook you up!
Posted by: andrea | July 11, 2009 at 08:45 PM
We also have wild black raspberries in our yard; also not a lot. I've managed to forage a little less than a quart by going out every day for over a week now.
http://localkitchen.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/wild-black-raspberries/
From what I gather, the canes only fruit for about a year or two; so don't fret over that broken cane - it might have been past it's prime anyway. Any greyish colored cane is too old to fruit and can be cut back. I honestly think that simply picking the fruit encourages new canes to grow, as we have many more young canes in this, our 3rd year living here.
In an attempt to grow wild red raspberries in our yard, I dumped a whole lotta seeds (from foraged berries on a neighborhood street) along the perimeter of our yard last year, but I haven't seen any promising canes. Maybe next year....
Posted by: Kaela | July 12, 2009 at 12:06 AM
The jam actually intrigues me. Raspberry is one of my favorites (with or without the seeds.)
I've wanted to make my own for a really long time, but it seems so ambitious and out of my league.
Posted by: Amy | July 12, 2009 at 08:08 AM
Once raspberries or blackberries establish themselves, they can be hard to get rid of, so I wouldn't worry too much. Propagation is the easy part.
For instance, I've had so much trouble with rust on the canes that last year I finally gave up, cut down all the black raspberries, and planted new red raspberries to make up for it. That is, I _thought_ I cut down all the black raspberries. They came back stronger than ever.
Posted by: Yet another Pam | July 12, 2009 at 05:37 PM
Been reading a little while, first comment...
Hope you are doing well. That is some sexy looking jam! Good job on keeping it simple with the recipe. So often in pursuit of perfection I over do and F things all up.
Posted by: foodie247 | July 12, 2009 at 09:55 PM
I made my first batch of strawberry jam today, also without pectin. It doesn't look as nice as yours, though. Raspberries would have been a nice touch.
Posted by: Mary | July 13, 2009 at 09:59 PM
Your jam came out wonderfully - and how funny to find the black raspberries in your own yard :-) I'd like to try jam without pectin - does it change the time it takes to set or the time in the waterbath? I made jam 2 weeks ago and used pectin, but I got the sense that it could have gone without, just from how it started to thicken even before I added it.
Posted by: Mangochild | July 14, 2009 at 06:53 AM
Mangochild: I'm quite the novice at jam-making, but I do think there are some fruits that will gel on their own without added pectin. Most berries, I think, and maybe peaches, too. Mine set up pretty quick, and then continued to congeal as it cooled. I don't know about the waterbath. I don't officially "can" the stuff because I usually only make one jar and start eating it out of the refrigerator right away until it's gone!
Mary: I'm sure it tasted great! Congrats on your first batch.
foodie247: Welcome and thanks for the comment. I usually try to go simple for that very reason.
Yet Another Pam: I have to say, I like a plant that can take care of itself. It's a good quality in a plant, for me anyway. Hopefully, your new black raspberry canes came back rust-free. You'll be swimming in berries!
Amy: Trust me, if I can do it, you can do it. You should try it once and see how it goes. I learn mostly by trial and error, myself, and try to laugh at the mistakes. Once I've perfected this, I'll post a recipe, but I fear we're not there quite yet.
Kaela: I checked out your post. Gorgeous berries there. Lucky you!
andrea: Thank you for the primer. I totally understood that. One of these days I'll meet you down the Cape, I promise, and not just to steal your black raspberries. Sometime when I'm feeling better.
Posted by: Tammy | July 22, 2009 at 06:21 PM