holiday date
Raspberry Jam Day started in 2015 through an online cooking community initiative. The date coincides with a similar celebration in Russia known as Raspberry. The peak raspberry harvest typically occurs in July and August, with remontant varieties capable of flowering and fruiting again in the same growing season. Late-season raspberries are often processed into jams and other preserves for winter use.
How to choose the right raspberry for jam
When selecting berries for jam, the focus is on appearance and aroma. Look for plump, fragrant fruit that is undamaged and free from moisture buildup in the container. A healthy pink to red hue suggests freshness, while dark berries may indicate staleness. Mold should be absent, and a bright, sweet fragrance free of off odors is desirable. A fresh scent often signals berries that will set properly in jam.
Historical raspberry jam recipes
Two classic raspberry jam methods appear in culinary literature associated with Pelageya Alexandrova-Ignatieva, a noted author and educator in culinary and meat science. The first method uses water, while the second does not.
Contents:
1. Raspberries – 1 kg
2. Sugar – 1.5 kg
3. Water – 300 ml
Cooking method:
1. Choose the largest berries, remove leaves and stems. Arrange them on a flat dish and drizzle with Madeira, cognac, or rum to keep the fruit elastic during cooking; 2. Prepare a sugar syrup by dissolving sugar in cold water and cooking until a net-like froth forms on the surface; 3. Soak the berries in the syrup, simmer the jam, cool, and repeat two more times. Finish on low heat, cool, and store in stoneware; 4. Transfer the finished jam into glass jars, seal with waxed-paper rings soaked in rum, and store in a cool place.
Recommendations include adding a teaspoon of rum during cooking to prevent spoilage and two teaspoons of lemon juice to help preserve color. The second method is more intricate but yields superior results. Sugar is measured similarly, roughly 600 g per 400 g raspberries. The berries are prepared, then moistened with wine and sugar, left to rest so the juice is released, and the process continues with a hot-coal method and standard jam finishing steps. If cooking on a stove, very hot heat can produce a smoother texture.
The reference edition for these recipes is Aleksandrova-Ignatieva’s Practical Foundations of Culinary Art, published in Saint Petersburg in 1899.
The raspberry jam recipe from pastry chef Simach in Nedalny
Contents:
1. Raspberries – 1 kg
2. Sugar – 800 g
3. Pectin – 20 g
4. Lemon juice – 100 g
5. Basil – 15 g
Cooking method:
1. Start with fresh berries, sorting and freezing them to achieve gentle heat treatment that preserves texture and color; 2. Mash raspberries with part of the sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining sugar with pectin and add when the mixture warms to about 25°C. Mix well, bring to a boil, then add lemon juice and finely chopped basil, reboil briefly, and cool; 3. Ladle the jam into clean jars, seal, and sterilize.
In professional kitchens, half the sugar may be replaced with glucose syrup. This substitution helps prevent crystallization and yields a creamier texture, with glucose added after the pectin at around 45°C.
“Raspberry marmalade can complement meatballs and pairs well with eggplant. A salad featuring feta, herbs, and pistachios with raspberry jam creates a memorable impression,” notes a local pastry chef from the Nedalne area.
The pastry chef also mentions that raspberry fudge can be used not only as a sauce for pancakes and cheesecakes but also as a glaze for hot meat dishes and vegetable salads.
Raspberry health benefits
Raspberries are widely regarded as among the healthiest berries, rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They provide B, A, and C vitamins along with minerals such as zinc, chromium, silicon, manganese, molybdenum, iron, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. Nutrition experts confirm that these berries support immune health and overall well-being. Raspberry jam is believed to help during colds due to natural compounds with fever-reducing properties and is often enjoyed in moderation with raspberry leaf tea as part of a balanced diet.