Review/Recipes: Norm's Farms Elderberry Jam

When I hear 'elderberry', I immediately think of two things: the first being insults from The Quest for the Holy Grail “Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!” and the second, a wonderful herbal immune booster.

While elderberry goodies are common in Europe, finding them in the U.S. can be tricky. So, when I heard about Norm's Farms and their elderberry jam I was elated.

Ordering the jam from their website was extremely simple, and it arrived within four days, the glass jar wrapped in bubble wrap and surrounded by packing peanuts.

 The beautiful dark jam made me quickly decide that it was time for tea. While the water boiled, I opened the jar and spread some on bread that I had made that morning.

 My first impression was that it was a lovely complex flavor, but not nearly as sweet as I was expecting. Personally, I like that it isn't over sweet, like most jams you can get at the store, but I will say that Mischief definitely prefers to have the super sweet stuff from the grocery store. (More for me!)

If you have a bread machine, this is how I made my bread:

THE EASIEST BREAD MACHINE RECIPE EVER

I make this recipe so often, I have it memorized, and everyone loves it.

1 C plus 2 T Hot Water (I use the hot water from the tap)

2 T oil (you can use varying oil, depending on what flavor you want)

1 T ground flax seed

4 T sugar

1 t salt

3 C Flour

1 T bread yeast

Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in order and cook using the machine's express bake setting. Mine has a 58 minute setting and an 80 minute setting, and while the 58 minute setting cooks it just fine, I find the 80 minute produces a better loaf.

The original Norm's Farm is located in Missouri, but the family has realized that the single farm can't keep up with the demand for this amazing little fruit, so they work with small family farms in North Carolina to supply what the Missouri location can't.

Being from a farming community in Wisconsin, I really appreciate the emphasis on the family farms, instead of just going with a large corporate farm.

The elder bush is a wonderful plant, though only the flowers and berries are edible. Even with the berries, though, you must be cautious and not eat too many that are raw, so jams and preserves are perfect for adding elderberry to your diet.

Containing vitamins C and A, bioflavonoids, flavonoids, beta-carotene, iron, and potassium, these little berries are great for preventing colds and flu. They also contain anti-viral properties, which help to make them effective against many viral infections.

Norm's Farms offer many different elderberry products, ranging from the jam ($6) I got to try, other jam flavors, elderberry syrup, and even the flowers!

You can order on their website, or check to see if there is a store near you that carries their products!

While the easiest way to enjoy Norm's Farms jam was to spread it on bread, my family's favorite way to eat it was in pocket cookies that I made from my grandmother's recipe:

JAM-FILLED POCKET COOKIES

When I called my grandma and asked her for the recipe, reminding her how I loved them as a kid, she laughed. These cookies are simply a sugar cookie with a filling! Feel free to use your favorite sugar cookie recipe, but I used Grandma's tried and true one.

1 ½ C Powdered Sugar

½ C Softened Butter

½ C Shortening

1 t Vanilla

1 Large Egg

2 ½ C Flour

1 t Baking Soda

1 t Cream of Tarter

Granulated Sugar for sprinkling

Jam for filling

Beat powdered sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla, and egg on medium speed until well combined. Stir in flour, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours

Preheat oven to 375 and line or lightly grease cookie sheet.

Divide dough in half, roll each half ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut into an even number of circles.

Put a dollop of jam on one cookie, place a second cookie on top. Cut a slit in the top cookie and crimp edges. Sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake cookies about 10 minutes, or until edges are light brown. Cool on rack.

Try to not eat all of them at once!

http://normsfarms.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Norms.Farms