Kiwifruit comes to us from China via New Zealand. Originally known as Chinese gooseberry, it was first marketed under the invented name of Melonette because of strained relations between the US and China at the time. An importer, Ziel & Company suggested that this name was unsuitable, and suggested the name Kiwi, New Zealand’s national symbol, because the bird and the fruit share a small, brown, furry appearance. Inside though, Kiwis are a vibrant green colour with dramatic black seeds. This results in a gorgeous jam that is not incidentally delicious. It turns out that Kiwis are high in natural pectin, so no commercial pectin is needed.
Ingredients:
2 lbs of Kiwi (1 kg)
3 cups sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
Method:
Scoop the Kiwi out of the shell. Chop or mash the Kiwi, add lemon juice and cook until some of the juices release. Add sugar and cook to 214º F (105oC). If you don’t have a thermometer, don’t worry, you can see the jam thicken up. You can do the frozen saucer test – take a saucer, place a small amount of hot jam on it, and put in the freezer for 3 minutes. The jam should wrinkle up when pushed with your finger.
In the meantime, you have washed a big jar in hot, soapy water, and placed it in a 250o F oven for 10 minutes. Take it out and fill with the hot jam. Let cool on the counter and then refrigerate.