foraging Archives · Jess in the Kitchen

Dandelion Season

How does one become interested in dandelion season and the foraging that comes with it? Let me share a short story!

A number of years ago, my family and I were doing an “end of summer” camping trip for a couple nights at Lake Wissota State Park in Wisconsin. As we sat in the beach picnic area, we spied hundreds of acorns on the ground. Of course, it led to an acorn fight between the four of us, which resulted in tons of giggles. It also led to me saying to my husband, “There are just so many of them [acorns], you must be able to do something with them.” To which he responded, “of course you can, but they have a lot of tannins so you have to do something to make them edible.” And this simple question led to my fascination with foraging and all that goes along with it.

I immediately started Googling to learn more about acorns and how to cook with them. I also gathered as many as I could and put them in a bag to bring home. You see, we joke that I am a “75 percenter.” I love trying new things and go in with about 75% of the information needed and figure I can learn the rest along the way. Personally, I think it is a great way to live this life. I sure have experienced some cool things this way!

But back to the foraging

Slowly, I began researching other things you can forage. I have learned so much from some of my favorite foragers:

Colleen at Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Ashley from Practical Self Reliance

Alexis AKA Black Forager

Which led to the statement, “Did you know you can eat that?” to come out of my mouth often when I was with family and friends. One of the foraged items I became especially fascinated with was dandelions.

Yes, the simple dandelion. They are full of nutrients, including A, C, and K. You can use everything from the roots (to make tea) to the leaves (for salads) to the flowers (for jelly and wine). Learn more about their health benefits here!

I have tried a number of dandelion recipes over the years, but time and time again, I go back to two simple ones when it is dandelion season: jelly and shortbread cookies.

Dandelion Jelly

A few years ago, my Algebra II kids asked if I could bring them fresh bread. Of course, I obliged and brought some jelly to go with it, including dandelion jelly. A few of them fell in love with it and we have been meaning to do a class to teach them how to ever since.

What’s so great about it? First of all, the novelty of it, right? But second, the flavor is this perfect, light honey like taste you’d never anticipate. It is a bit tedious to make as you have to separate the petals from the greens, but there’s something calming about it. I love finding a friend and sitting and chatting.

The ingredients are simple too:

Dandelion petals (4 cups)
Boiling water
Sugar
Lemon juice

If this sounds like something you want to try, check out my blog post on it!

Jelly not your thing? Enjoy dandelion season by making these lovely dandelion shortbread cookies!

Dandelion Shortbread Cookies

If you want to give foraging a try, but aren’t quite ready to jump in feet first, these cookies are a great way to start. You only need ½ cup of petals and who doesn’t love a cookie? This is another simple recipe with minimal ingredients (dare I say pantry ingredients?) and unlike the jelly, you can have them put together in under 40 minutes, cleaning the flowers and all!

You’ll need:

Petals
Softened butter
Powdered sugar
Honey
Flour
Salt

Then you can grab the recipe and start baking!

But let me tell you, once you dip your toe in the foray of foraging during dandelion season, I don’t know if there is much looking back. You will find yourself constantly looking into the woods and fields, wondering, “How can I cook or bake with that?!”

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

JessLeave a comment

Wild Plum Jam

This season, I have become obsessed with searching for wild plums. I don’t know if it has been a good season for them (Apparently they don’t like rain at all in June and July? Ha!) or if I just hadn’t noticed them before, but I have suddenly become aware of an abundance of wild plum trees throughout the area in Wisconsin. And if you know me, when I see wild edibles, I harvest (free food!) And if it is fruit, I will be making jam out of it. In this case, wild plum jam.

I keep asking the Mr. why people don’t eat them, and he said that they likely don’t know to identify them. From afar, he thinks that many assume they are crab apples and think crab apples aren’t good (not true, by the way!). Boy, if that’s the case, they sure are wrong. They are sweet and delicious and plentiful! You can learn more about identifying wild plums (American Plums) here.

I had to start making jam quick. And I hope you do too, but I do want to share that I did not grow up in a canning household. I learned about ten years ago, as soon as we bought our home and started our first garden. And while I had some support of my mother in law (thank you so much!), I learned SO MUCH from reading. If you are a first generation canner like I was, let me share some of my favorite resources.

My Favorite Resources

Ball Complete Book of Home Canning: This book gives you a good idea of all the basics from the people who know canning forwards and backwards. I love that I can dig in and get just what I need.

Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them: This book is SO FUN. It has some out of the ordinary recipes. We especially love the tomato soup and seasoned black bean recipes.

Can It and Ferment It: More Than 75 Small Batch Canning and Fermentation Recipes for the Whole Year: I dig the simplicity of this book. It is also by what I would consider to be a local author, which is doubly cool. Small batch is great for anyone just giving canning a try!

And finally, the National Center for Home Food Preservation has all the information you need for all sorts of food preservation, not just canning. I reference it often!

But enough about resources, you want to can right? (But seriously, I am going to give you the basics. If you are a newbie (Yay!), head to any of those resources for more detailed information)

Your Wild Plum Jam Ingredients

For approximately a half pint, you’ll need

1 cup rinsed and pitted plums, halved or quartered
½ cup sugar
½ tablespoon lemon juice

I say approximately because let’s be honest, it isn’t perfect. You might get one 1/2 pint for every cup of fruit, but it might be a little less. I always prepare as many jars as I have cups of fruit and go from there.

Yes, that’s it! No, you can’t change out the sugar for a different sweetener using this recipe. Canning is finicky like that. I like to do at least 5 cups of plums but have done up to 8 cups.

The Prep Work

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so overestimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm.

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better.

If you have not already done so, measure out the sugar and the plums.

The Wild Plum Jam Making

In a large, preferably shallow kettle, smash the plums with a potato masher. I actually love to use my fermentation packer to crush fruit in jams. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash more as they are cooking down. After they haven’t softened (about 10 minutes), puree the plums using an immersion/stick blender. What’s cool about this step is you can decide how much or how little you want to break down the plums. Then keep cooking and stirring.

Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point.

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂

Halve and pit. Get a helper to make time fly by!

Time to Can it!

Once the wild plum jam has reached the gelling point, remove it from the heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. It is recommended that you store jars with the rings off or very loose. I very between the two.

Note: You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.

Cooked down wild plums — Blended and beautiful!

Canning process — Blended and beautiful!

Wild Plum Jam

American Plums are abundant and can be foraged to make this beautiful three ingredient plum jam!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Canning

Servings per jar

Equipment

Ingredients

Per 1/2 pint jar (approximately), you will need:

1 cup halved and pitted wild plums
½ cup sugar
½ tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

If you have not done so, clean and measure out the wild plums. For each cup of plums, measure out 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside.
Wash and sanitize the same amount of pint jars as cups of cleaned plums. Wash and clean rings and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
In a large, shallow kettle, smash plums with a potato masher. Stir in sugar. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Smash more as they are cooking down.
After approximately 10 minutes, blend jam mixture with an immersion blend to desired texture.
Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.

If you do not have a digital food thermometer, there are other ways to test the gelling point. Check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation for more information!

Keyword Canning, Foraging, Jam, Jam Recipes, Jellies and Jams, plum jam, preserving, wild plums

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other canning recipes?

You can check out my canning and perserving page or see if any of these fun recipes speak to you!

September 3, 2022September 2, 2022

JessLeave a comment

Wild Violet Jelly

Jump to Recipe

Most of my foraging adventures begin with me learning of a recipe and saying, “You can do that?!” after reading online, and immediately heading out to forage for whatever it is that you need. Wild Violet Jelly is one of those adventures. I had just finished baking up dandelion cookies and had more dandelions in the fridge ready to be cleaned when a friend sent me a wild violet recipe.

Oh my goodness! I have those ALL OVER my yard and along the edge of our woods. Time to switch gears and try something different before they disappear. Also, if you don’t know me personally, you may not know that I have a 5 year old spitfire of a daughter who’s name is, you guessed it, Violet. Imagine the joy on her face when I shared the idea for Violet to harvest violets to make Violet Jelly. So fun!

Of course, we needed to use mason jars to do our harvesting. I grabbed a quart jar and gave her a pint jar without lids. We set out on a walkabout around our yard and within an hour or so, we had found a pint jar’s worth of violets. As with anyexperience with a 5 year old, it wasn’t without tears. The silly girl got so excited she started skipping, tripped over a root, and immediately lost all her violets. I share as a lesson for all you. I know you’ll be excited, but please refrain from getting so excited you skip and lose your jar!

Although the harvesting took about an hour, this was the most labor intensive part of the recipe. In all the foraging and cooking I’ve done so far, I would say this is a great toe dipper. It didn’t require too much work and you’ll end up with about six beautiful jars of lavender colored jam.

Get ready so if you’re ready, grab your jars and start foraging!

Your Ingredients:

1 pint (2 cups) wild violet flowers
4 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
4 ½ cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin

Your equipment:

1 pint jar and 1 quart jar
Cheese cloth or mesh strainer
6 half pint jelly jars with rings and lids
Water bath canner with lid

If this is your first go at canning, you can totally use a deep kettle with a dish towel rather than purchasing a water bath canner. The dish towel on the bottom is to keep the jars off the bottom of the kettle. This will be a little messier with the water, but it works. When I first started canning, I did my first four batches of pickles and jellies this way. I wasn’t sure I was going to love it and didn’t want to invest. Silly me 🙂

Harvest the Flowers

After spending days harvesting dandelions, this was surprisingly easy. Be sure that you’ve identified the right flower, and pick away. It’s best to look at the leaves to make sure you are picking the right one. Once you start, be sure to be a responsible forager, leaving some flowers in each bunch. Try to be mindful that you just get the flower. This was easy for me, but I had to pull stems from my daughter’s harvest since she’s five. Pick enough flowers to fill a pint jar, or just over two cups.

Create a Violet Tea

Once you have harvested the violets, transfer them into a quart jar. Pour boiling water over the flowers and cover. If you don’t have a quart jar, any container that you can cover and refrigerate will be fine. After the jar has come to room temperature, place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but up to 24 hours. I was amazed at the color that came from the flowers. It went from purple flowers to teal water to a much more muted green as the time pasted in the refrigerator. I let it sit overnight.

Time for Jelly

The following day, start heating your water bath canner with enough water to cover your jelly jars with at least 2 inches of water. Strain the flowers from the tea. To do this, I used a fine mesh strainer with a natural coffee filter in it. I poured from the quart jar into a measuring cup (see picture). Straining through cheesecloth would also be a great option. End game: You need them separated. You do you 🙂

Once separated, measure out 3 cups of violet tea. You may add additional water to reach 3 cups if necessary. Pour this into a larger non-reactive kettle. Add powdered pectin and lemon juice, whisking to incorporate. This will be THE coolest thing you do. The violet tea is a muted green when made, but just be ready when you add the lemon juice. It will instantly go from green to a beautiful lavender color. I knew it was going to happen and I still got so excited I knocked over my bottle of lemon juice, spilling it all over my kitchen floor. Oh well…making memories, right? Back to the recipe…

Bring the tea, pectin, and lemon juice mixture to a boil. Once you have achieved a rolling boil, add sugar. Return to a rolling boil, stirring quite often, if not always. Once you have reached a rolling boil, time for 1 minute, stirring the whole time. Ladle jelly into prepared jelly jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe the edges with a damp cloth, add lids, and tighten rings to fingertip tight. Put into the water bath canner and process for 5-10 minutes. I did 10 minutes because my altitude is greater than 1000 feet. (Always read the pectin directions and follow those for your altitude).

Once the jelly is done processing, remove the canner from heat and let jars rest in the water for an additional 5 minutes. Finally, remove jars from the canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving. Listen for the ping of the lids (best part of canning…apart from the eating of the beautiful food you create) and marvel at the beautiful spring jelly; the other best part of canning 🙂

A few notes:

Make sure you are using powdered pectin rather than liquid pectin. They do not set the same. Early in my canning career I didn’t know the difference and had a few batches of jelly never set.
If you have never canned, you can reference the instructions within the pectin box for additional, more detailed directions. While you aren’t using fruit, the directions will still be very similar.
I adore this book and using it as my canning bible. If you are at all interested in all you can can, check out Ball’s Blue Book Guide to Preserving.
If foraging is your jam and you’re in the midwest, Midwest Foraging by Lisa M. Rose is a great resource.
Sealed jars are shelf-stable, meaning they can be stored on a shelf unrefrigerated. If your jars don’t ping (a sign that they have sealed), they are still good. You will just need to store them in the refrigerator.
Most sources recommend removing the rings from jars for storage so that you will know if they unseal for any reason. I generally just loosen them as much as I can without removing them.

Looking for more canning recipes? Click here!

Looking to forage and then create? Click here!

Wild Violet Jelly

A beautiful lavender colored jelly created from wild violet tea

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Tea Resting Time 1

Course Snack

Cuisine Canning

Servings

Equipment

Water Bath Canner
Cheese Cloth or Mesh Strainer
Quart Canning Jar
6 Half Pint Jelly Jars with Rings and Lids
Pint Canning Jar (optional)

Ingredients

1 pint (2 cups) wild violet flowers
4 cups boiling water
3 tbsp bottled lemon juice
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin

Instructions

Harvest 1 pint (2 cups) of wild violet flowers. Be sure they are clean and rid of debris. Place inside a clean quart jar with lid and ring.
Pour boiling water over violets, filling the jar. Cover. Allow to cool to room temperature. Place in fridge to steep for 4-24 hours.
Prepare water bath canner by filling with water so that the jars will have at least 2 inches of water over them when placed inside. Begin to heat. Clean and prep canning jars, rings, and lids. Set aside.
Strain flowers from tea using cheese cloth and mesh strainer. Remove any flower debris and discard. Measure 3 cups of tea, adding water if necessary. Pour into a non-reactive kettle.
Measure sugar in a separate bowl. Set aside. Add pectin and lemon juice to tea. Heat over medium high heat. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often.
Once rolling boil has been reached, stir in sugar. Continue to stir until rolling boil is reached again. Time for exactly one minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat. Pour into prepared jelly jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rims of jars, put on lids and rings, tightening to finger tip tightness.
Process in water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Allow to sit in canner 5 additional minutes. Remove from canner, place on counter, and let sit for at least 24 hours.

Notes

More in depth directions regarding canning jelly can be found with the directions with powdered pectin. Be sure to read through those directions as well.

Keyword Canning, Foraging, Jelly, Violet, Violet Jelly, Waterbath Canning

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

May 20, 2020July 8, 2021

JessLeave a comment

Dandelion and Honey Shortbread Cookies

Jump to Recipe

I recently read that most people begin their descent into the foraging world by harvesting dandelions or mushrooms. For me, it was acorns, but dandelions were a very close second. As soon as I had read the things you could make with them, I was determined to try them all. Pesto. Jelly (I have a great recipe for that here). Wine. And now, these delightful melt in your mouth morsels. You’ve got to try these so easy to put together Dandelion and Honey Shortbread Cookies.

However, I must give ample warning. After you try these, you just might become hooked on the idea of foraging too. You see, a few years ago my classroom looked out over a large field; I am not joking when I tell you I would look longingly at the yellow balls of sunshine that are dandelions. I dreaded that they were going to get mowed over. There was so much potential in those little guys. Just think how many of these dandelion cookies we could get! And the wine. Don’t get me started. I mean, you should definitely get started. You’ll feel a sense of connectedness to the Earth as you create and bake. I promise (Okay, maybe promise is a strong word, but I really bet you will!). Here’s your toe dipping recipe into the world of foraging: Dandelion and Honey Shortbread Cookies.

Your ingredients:

1/2 cup dandelion petals
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Harvesting the Dandelions:

First, the harvesting of the dandelions. I won’t lie, it’s a bit of a tedious step for most dandelion recipes. However, you don’t need too many for this recipe. I like to harvest earlier in the morning, prior to the flowers opening too much. Pick just the heads. Then I find it easiest if I hold onto the yellow petals and cut the bottom green stem portion with a scissors. Then I pick off the remaining green portions and compost them. Measure the yellow petals to a lightly packed 1/2 cup. Then…

Your Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Mix in honey. Next, gently fold in dandelion petals. Combine the flour and salt, adding to the sugar and butter mixture. Mix until just combined. For best results, allow the dough to chill for at least a half hour. Scoop dough by tablespoonfuls and roll each into a ball. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Finally, use a flat bottomed cup dipped in powdered sugar to flatten the cookies slightly. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until slightly browned on the edges. Revel at the fact that you just baked with a “humble weed” and then give them a try. The flavor deepens a few days after they are baked, so try not to enjoy them all at once!

Looking for more foraging recipes? Click here! Or has your sweet tooth been activated? I have lots of sweet treats to choose from on my baking page 🙂

All the yellow petals and none of the green.

Dandelion and Honey Shortbread Cookies

Buttery and delicate, these unique shortbread cookies melt in your mouth.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Course Dessert

Cuisine Foraging

Servings cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup dandelion petals
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

To gather the dandelion petals, I find it easiest to get the heads of the flowers when they are closed. I hold onto the yellow portion and cut off the bottom green stem. Try to remove all green portions.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium bowl, cream sugar and softens butter until light and fluffy.
Mix in honey and then gently fold in dandelion petals.
Add flour and sprinkle salt on top. Mix until just combined. For best results, allow the dough to chill at least a half hour.
Scoop dough by tablespoonfuls. Roll each tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Use a flat bottomed cup dipped in powdered sugar to flatten the cookies slightly.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until slightly browned on the edges. Enjoy!

Keyword Cookies, Dandelion Recipe, Dandelions, Foraging, Honey, Shortbread

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

May 15, 2020June 4, 2021

Jess1 Comment

Maple Syrup Season

My Story…An Adventure…

(You can totally skip this part if you aren’t into hearing the back story, but I do have some big hints and tips that I learned in my first adventure into maple syrup 🙂 ) Click here to skip my story!

How I roll

I have to begin this post by saying I’m the type of person who gets approximately 75% of the information needed for a grand plan and then I go all in, and my husband has to strap in for a wild ride. This is true with my food blog, fitness activities, you name it. But our favorite example of me doing this is maple syrup. Being from the Northwoods of Wisconsin, we know a number of people who tap trees every spring and cook down their own maple syrup. My new found obsession with foraging and all things homesteading meant I became interested over the last few years.

Gathering

Last March, I was doing some shopping at the local (ish) Fleet Farm and saw the tree tapping supplies. I had done MINIMAL research, but I quickly texted two different friends who tap and got some quick info. Yes, it was late in the season. But I had made my mind up and picked up the materials to tap four (yes, just four) trees. I figured it would be an adventure for my family and worst case scenario, we were out a few hours of work and about $35.

I brought it home, read a little more about gathering maple syrup online, and we began the quick process of hanging the sap bags. Little did I realize just how much sap we would get! After just 48 hours, we had multiple gallons of sap and no real place to store it (again, 75% of the information is all I ever have and then I fake it till I make it).

Cooking

So begins the process of cooking maple sap down, in the middle of the week, after my husband and I had both worked a full day. We got home, ate dinner, and put together a fire outside, setting some 2 inch metal fencing from our garden on top of a few cinder blocks for the old kettles we had to sit on top. The sap got poured into the kettles and we boiled away, keeping the fire stoked.

Because we were using an old canning kettle (something taller than it was wide, so less surface area for the heat to reach), it took longer to boil down than either of us anticipated (75% of the information…maybe more like 50% 🙂 ), and we were so tired. The first time we cooked, we went to bed at 10:30-11 pm, but set an alarm for every 30 minutes so we could stoke the fire. I can’t help but laugh now as I remember that. I think I blocked that from my memory!

By 1 am, the sap had cooked down to about 1-1 1/2 quarts of maple syrup and we were able to bring it inside to finish it on the stove. From here, we boiled away until we had a hard boil, checking the temperature every few minutes. You have maple syrup once the temperature reaches 7 degrees above the boiling point of water (which varies based on your elevation). We hit that point, filtered it through cheese cloth twice, tasted the delicious syrup we had just made and worked SO hard to finish, and immediately collapsed back in our bed.

A sane person may quit after that experience 🙂 It wasn’t hard by any means, but it sure took a lot out of us. However, I got more excited (so did our kids), and although he would never admit it, my husband loved it. He got to spend hours around a fire with a beverage of his choice, watching the sap boil. It’s calming and healing, believe me. We learned crazy amounts after that first experience.

A few hints Before you start

Start the fire AS SOON AS YOU GET HOME.
Try to use wider pans to cook in to increase the surface area.
It’s best if you cook on the weekends so you can cook in the daylight.
Don’t chop your wood too close to the fire or hitting the kettle and losing all your sap may occur. Super sad!
You don’t need to fill the kettle to the top with sap to begin. Get a boil going and slowly add the rest of your sap.
Anyone can do this! It is rewarding and fun to learn.

A perk for the littles: tasting the sap right out of the tree!

Now It’s your Turn!

This year, we tapped just two trees with four taps at my in-laws after our spring break trip fell apart. We figured we would be around and my husband’s family had never experienced it before. It wasn’t the plan, so we began by picking up a kit (simply because then we knew we had everything we needed. You will need:

Taps (four is plenty for your first go!)
Sap collecting bags (one bag per tap)
Hangers for the bags
A drill and drill bit to match the size of the tap as well as a hammer
Large cooking vessels that you are okay getting covered in carbon as they sit over the fire (think, the soup kettle you never liked anyway)
Lots of dry wood, cut smaller
Cinder blocks and some form of metal to set the cooking vessel on (wire, an old grill grate, metal posts, etc)
Cheese cloth to filter syrup when your finished cooking it down
Cooking thermometer, preferably digital

Tapping happens in the spring, when the nights are still below freezing but the days are warmer. The sap should run clear out of the tree. If it is cloudy, it is time to be done collecting. One trick sappers use is to watch for the tree leaves to bud out. Once the leaves bud out you know that sapping season has come to a close. You can tap any maple tree, but sugar maple are going to be the highest sugar content. You will want to have the bags facing the south to keep them warmest during the day. I am going to write these directions assuming you have the same quantity sap we did with about 4 taps. I want the directions short and sweet so feel free to read around the Internet for more information!

1. Drill a hole into the tree at about chest height, initially going straight in but angling up just slightly to encourage sap flow. The depth of your hole should be about 2 – 2 1/2 inches. (How many taps can a tree hold? Check the diameter: 10-20 inches = 1 tap, 20-25 inches = 2 taps, over 25 inches = 3 taps)

2. Insert the tap into the tree and gently use a hammer to get it inserted the rest of the way. Depending on the temperature outside, the tree may begin dripping sap immediately (if it is warmer). It dripped immediately at my in-laws, but took a while to drip at our own home. Don’t fret.

3. Wrap your bags around the metal ring and insert back into the hanger. Hang bags on the tap, making sure that the spout is dripping inside the bag.

4. Walk around and check on them because you’re just so happy you tapped your first trees.

5. As your bags fill, know that you can truly cook at any time, but be mindful of the size of your cooking vessel. The ratio of sap to syrup is approximately 40:1, that is for every 40 gallons (cups, whatever) of sap you collect, you will get 1 gallon (cup, whatever) of syrup. Whenever you are ready, pour the sap into a kettle and place the bags back on the hangers to continue to collect.

6. We like to build a fire, but protect it with cinder blocks on each side. The first year, we use blocks that had holes in them. This year, we bought solid blocks from Fleet Farm, and they held up to the heat much better. Place the metal grate, wire, etc. on top of the blocks and put the kettle on top.

7. Boil. And boil some more. Keep the fire hot. Sit around with a beverage of your choice (coffee til cocktails, anyone?) and reconnect with nature and your friends. Boil until you’ve reached the point that you have approximately 1-2 quarts left of your sap. That is, once it has begun to turn that glorious syrup color and you have a kettle small enough to finish it off on the stove.

8. CAREFULLY pour your “almost syrup” into the smaller kettle, and bring to a boil on your stove. I told my husband the boil changes when it’s getting closer and he agreed, but I don’t quite know how to describe it. You will notice it too though, I am certain. Stir the “almost syrup” often, and check the temperature every few minutes. It will take longer than you think it should.

9. You have syrup once the temperature reaches 7 degrees above the boiling point of water at your elevation. If you are under 1000 ft above sea level, that will be 219 degrees, but you may want to do an Internet search on the boiling point for your own town. (There are other ways to check for syrup beyond temperature…fancy: hydrometer that measures sugar content, not fancy: spoon test and seeing how it falls off a metal spoon. I recommend just using a digital thermometer)

10. Once you reach the right temperature, you will want to filter the syrup through cheese cloth. We like to put the cheese cloth over a small mesh colander and pour it into a larger measuring cup (see picture). Then we filter it once more from the measuring cup into a mason jar (or whatever you want to store your syrup in). Allow to cool, and then store in your refrigerator.

That’s it! In just 10 steps, you have made your very own maple syrup. It’s great with all of your breakfast goodies like waffles (I have a great recipe here!), as a refined sugar replacement (check out the energy balls here!), or even as your sweetener in your coffee. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we do and start a family tradition like we have 💗

Looking to find more treats that the Earth has to offer? Check out some of the links below:

Foraging

Homesteading

Canning and Preserving

March 25, 2020September 30, 2021

Jess3 Comments

Dandelion Jelly

Yup. You read that right. Dandelion jelly. I know it sounds crazy, but it is so tasty! Light and sweet, like honey. And you know what, it’s the time of year where I get the itch to can and work in my garden. Yes, I know there is still loads of winter left, but a girl can start dreaming, right?

I began having a fascination with foraging nature around me to make food in my kitchen about a year ago. Last year, my sister bought me the book Midwest Foraging by Lisa M. Rose, and my interest got stronger. I flipped through that book like a coffee table book and took mental notes on things I would like to try.

Fast forward to May last year. The dandelions were all over my yard, and I decided I had to try it. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? I would be out a few hours of work, some sugar, and pectin. My daughter, mother in law, and I walked the yard, harvested dandelions, and I set to work. As I was pouring the last of the jelly into jars to go in the water bath canner, I said, “Well, here’s goes nothing…let’s try it,” and we stuck a spoon in the remains on the kettle. My daughter immediately asked for a second try and declared, “I want that on toast in the morning!” So give it a try. You will be pleasantly surprised with how good it actually is. You may even begin to be like me, looking over fields of dandelions, seeing all sorts of potential 🙂

Your ingredients:

4 cups yellow dandelion blossoms (see my notes about harvesting these)
1 box of powder pectin
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
4.5 cups of sugar
two quarts of water
jelly canning jars, lids, and rings, prepped for canning. I got 6 jelly (half pint) jars worth of jelly.

Your steps to dANDELION JELLY:

First, harvesting the dandelion greens. I did this over a few days and I learned a lot. Begin by just taking the heads of the dandelions. Plan on trimming them soon after you take the heads from the plant. I found it easiest to hold the flower end in one hand and cut the green end off. Then I would peel the remaining green off. I would put the yellow/white part into my measuring cup and compost the green portion. Find a friend or two, it takes a little time to complete this, but it makes for great time for conversation.

Back to the recipe! Bring a few quarts of water to boil and pour it over the blossoms in a bowl that can be covered. Allow this to come to room temperature and then stick it in the fridge overnight. You are essentially creating a dandelion tea. (Mine is always this weird dingy greenish-yellow when I when I am done. Initially, I was worried about the color the jam would have, but it turned out just perfect!)

Jelly time!

The following day, start heating your water bath canner with enough water to cover your jelly jars with at least 2 inches of water. Measure 3 cups of the dandelion tea, straining out the blossoms and keeping only the liquid. Pour this into a larger kettle. Add powdered pectin and the 2 T of lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Once you have achieved a rolling boil, add sugar. Return to a rolling boil, stirring quite often, if not always. Once you have reached a rolling boil, time for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.

Ladle jelly into prepared jelly jars, wiping the edges, adding lids, and putting rings on to finger tip tight. Put into water bath canner and process for 10-15 minutes. I did 15 minutes because my altitude is greater than 1000 feet. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving. My kids love this dandelion jelly. We eat it on toast, on PBJ, you name it! My daughter even requests it on her waffles from time to time!

The tedious process of getting the flower separated

Dandelion Jelly

Sweet and simple jelly created from the balls of sunshine found in any yard in the spring!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 25

Rest Time 1

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Canning

Servings

Ingredients

4 cups yellow dandelion blossoms see my notes about harvesting these
1 box of powder pectin
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
4.5 cups of sugar
two quarts of water
jelly canning jars lids, and rings, prepped for canning. I got 6 jelly (half pint) jars worth of jelly.

Instructions

First, harvesting the dandelion greens. Begin by just taking the heads of the dandelions. Plan on trimming them soon after you take the heads from the plant. I find it easiest to hold the flower end in one hand and cut the green end off. Then peel the remaining green off. Measure 4 cups worth of blossoms.
Bring a few quarts of water to boil and pour it over the blossoms in a bowl that can be covered. Allow this to come to room temperature and then stick it in the fridge overnight.
The following day, start heating your water bath canner with enough water to cover your jelly jars with at least 2 inches of water.
Measure 3 cups of the dandelion tea, straining out the blossoms and keeping only the liquid. Pour this into a larger kettle. Add powdered pectin and the 2 T of lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
Once you have achieved a rolling boil, add sugar. Return to a rolling boil, stirring quite often, if not always. Once you have reached a rolling boil, time for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
Ladle jelly into prepared jelly jars, wiping the edges, adding lids, and putting rings on to finger tip tight. Put into water bath canner and process for 10-15 minutes. I did 15 minutes because my altitude is greater than 1000 feet. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving.