Summer is here. When I think of summers in Switzerland I think of luscious, juicy, red strawberries.
Ever since I first set foot in Switzerland I have gone strawberry picking each season. It’s fun for people of all ages with the added bonus of sinking your teeth into unlimited strawberries as you pick. Nothing compares to the whiff of sun-ripened strawberries.
The picking season begins early June and lasts till mid-July. Grab a basket and head to a local farm near you. You can look one up closest to you on this website http://www.selberpfluecken.ch/.
If you forget to take a basket, don’t worry… the farm will provide you with a paper basket at a small fee. Once you are done the picking, you have to head on over to the farmer’s stall to have your strawberries weighed and priced.
The first thing I do with my strawberry haul is to make a batch of strawberry jam. Here is a quick, easy recipe using pectin sugar which you can find in a Coop or Migros. Happy picking and endless summer jamming.
Strawberry Lemon Jam
Ingredients
- 500 grams pectin sugar (called Gelierzucker in German or Sucre gélifiant in French )
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 kilo fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- Sterilized glass jars
Method
- Combine the hulled and halved strawberries with the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and fill the jam into the sterilized glass jars while the jam is still hot. Put the lid on and let the jam cool. The cooling process will create a vacuum and you can store your jam for up to a year if left unopened.
Photos by Maria de Conceicao
Disclaimer: Opinions and methods expressed are solely of the writer. Namaste Switzerland does not undertake any obligation or liability which may arise from the content.
