Blueberry-Cherry Jam

I have gotten into having English muffins for breakfast.  They're tearing through my jam supplies, and I'm still determined to have my tea party before the Autumnal Equinox.  So, when that magical week hit that the 18oz packs of blueberries were $1.88 and cherries were $1.49/lb, I snapped up a package of each. All that was left was to decide what flavors to combine with them.

I've been kind of obsessed with cardamom since my first adventures into Indian cuisine.  It has that lovely tea-like aroma and an umami depth, even in pastries.  I decided that was just the right thing to add to this jam.  Feel free to change it up for ginger, cloves, cinnamon, or even a savory herb or orange peel.

I suggest wearing red or purple, or at least an apron, when you make this.  If you're stupid enough to wear a white skirt, OxyClean laundry spray does a remarkable job of getting out the stain.  I wasn't expecting it to.  I don't get anything from them for saying this; it just worked.

18 oz blueberries
8 oz cherries, weighed after pitting
2 C sugar
*1 Tb pectin
*3 Tb lemon juice
*1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

1.  Wash the blueberries and mash them in a bowl with a fork or potato masher.  Chop the cherries into halves or smaller.

2.  In a wide-bottomed pot, combine the sugar and pectin.  Add the fruit and stir to mix.  Allow to sit and macerate until the sugar has dissolved, 5-10 minutes.

3.  If canning, prepare jars for a yield of just under two pints.  I did three half-pint jars and had two 4oz jars ready.  Only needed one.  Start a boiling water bath and warm lids in simmering water.

4.  Bring fruit mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Boil about 15 minutes, skimming foam as necessary, until candy-looking bubbles start to break about 1/4" across.  There are more scientific ways of determining set, like temperature or the frozen-plate test, but I've learned how to eyeball it based on the bubbles.  Add lemon juice, zest, and cardamom and return to a boil until jam is glossy, bubbles are about 1/2" diameter, and the mixture sheets off the spoon.

5.  Ladle mixture into hot jars.  Wipe rims clean, center warm lids, and screw on bands finger-tight.  Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Remove from pot and allow to cool to room temperature.  Any jars with failed seals can be refrigerated or frozen.  When cool, remove rims, wipe jars clean, and store away from heat and sunlight for up to 1 year.

Makes about 3-1/2 cups

Difficulty rating  π for refrigeration/freezing, :) for canned