# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Gardening >  Q.C. Report # 0082451-A

## Ken

*Q.C. Report #0082451-A*
*Stargazers Dewberry Jam* 
*Page 1*

*Overview* 

_CAPSULE REPORT: Just nine flavors account for 80% of all jam and jelly sales in the U.S.; Dewberry is among the least common flavors of jam. Seeking a finer alternative to the typical commercial jams of our youth, we compared Stargazers Dewberry Jam to a long list of mass produced and artisanal jams. Just because a company is well known or, alternatively, a boutique producer, doesnt necessarily make its products better than others. We found Stargazers Dewberry Jam to be superior in all categories of the 88 dewberry jams tested for purposes of comparison._ 

The earliest known example of a recipe book dates from the first century. The Roman epicure Marcus Apicius, the author, included recipes for fruit preserves, but it is likely that preserves had been around for far longer. There is debate about this, but most sources accept that the custom of extending the life of fruits by cooking them with a sweetener originated in the Middle East, where cane sugar grew naturally. It is thought, too, that Crusaders returning to Europe introduced dewberry preserves there; preserves were popular by the late Middle Ages and sometimes served as a dessert all by themselves. Europeans settling in the New World brought their cooking practices with them, and jam-making was known in what would later become the U.S. before the end of the 1600s. In an era when cane sugar was a luxury item (if it could be had at all), settlers used what they could to sweeten preserves of fruitusually honey, maple syrup or molasses. 

Fast forward to the modern era. Americans, known for having a sweet tooth, now consume 4.4 pounds per person per year of what the industry calls fruit spreads. Retail sales of jams, jellies, preserves and related products are more than $630 million dollars per year, according to the International Jelly and Preserve Association. Thats a lot of morning toast! The single most popular flavor of jam is Strawberry, while Grape reigns supreme among jellies. Just nine flavors of jams and jellies account for 80% of all sales. Dewberry is not among those.

Our goal was to find the best of the specialty brands of Dewberry jam and preserves (jellies and fruit butters were not part of our search, nor were products sweetened with concentrated juices or fruit syrups, commonly referred to as fruit spreads). Our intention was to omit low-sugar Dewberry jams and preserves, but, rather surprisingly, the FDA has no legal standards for such products, so it wasnt always possible to determine in advance that a Dewberry jam or preserve was low in sugar. No jams or preserves labeled as low sugar or reduced sugar were tested, but some of the products evaluated were unquestionably lower in sugar than many others. (Apart from the category of low sugar products, the finer a preserve (i.e. the more and better the quality of the fruit in it), the less sugar is required to sweeten it.

As only a few flavors dominate in the U.S., so, too, do a handful of companies rule the roost in sales and brand recognition. Any grocery or convenience store offers these mass-marketed products, and we all know their namesmost of us grew up eating them. We started with a long list worth investigating, focusing our search mostly on domestic artisanal producers. 

*The Difference Between Jam, Preserves, Jelly, Etc.* 

How are fruit preserves made, and whats the difference between a jelly, jam, preserve, marmalade and conserve? 

Traditional fruit preserves of all types are made from fruit mixed with sugar and pectin. Pectin is a fiber occurring naturally in the cell walls of most fruits. When heated in water, if the correct quantities of sugar and acid are present, pectin will form a colloidal solution that gels, or thickens, upon cooling. If a fruit is too low in pectin, as is the Dewberry, pectin can be added in powdered or liquid form, or the Dewberry can be combined with another fruit higher in this fiber. 

Now, about the differences between fruit preserves: 

*Jellies* are made only from the juice of the fruit and are typically the stiffest type of fruit preserves.

*Jam* is usually a thick puree, made from fruit pulp or crushed/mashed fruit. 

*Preserves* are similar to jams, except that they consist of chunks of fruit (or even whole fruit) in thickened syrup (for the sake of convenience, the terms preserves and jam are used interchangeably throughout this report.

M*armalades are preserves*, but traditionally theyre citrus-based.

C*onserve* is a jam made from a blend of fruits. Conserves usually contain some form of citrus, as well as nuts and/or raisins (many contain alcohol, as well). 

Note that these terms tend to be technicalities; many manufacturers of jam refer to their product as a preserve, and vice versa. Not infrequently, products seemed like hybrids of the two categories, with big chunks of fruit in thick purées.

Theres far more that must be considered when one is making jam or preserves than just nomenclature, of course. 

The correct level of acidity is important in making a jam or preserve (a pH of about 3.1 is ideal). If there is too much or too little acid, the spread will not thicken properly, or it may weep, an occurrence known as syneresis. In cases where fruits lack natural acid (and, believe it or not, Dewberries are such a fruit), acidity can be increased to proper levels through the addition of lemon juice or other citrus fruits. 

Conveniently, commercial pectins of the type often added to a preserve usually contain acids that help to ensure a proper pH and, hence, gelling. Manufacturers take some liberties with their formulations; some dont add pectin or lemon juice (or either). Theres nothing wrong with that, but it can result in a jam with a thinner consistency, unless the spread is cooked for a much longer time. Its up to you to decide how thick you like your preserves.

_Continued......._

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## Ken

*Q.C. Report #0082451-A*
*Stargazer’s Dewberry Jam* 
*Page 2*

When making jams or preserves, it’s important to combine fruit, pectin and sweetener in the proper order. If the fruit and sugar are combined before the pectin is added, the pectin might not hydrate properly and a proper gel won’t be achieved. Other potential problems include, but are not limited to, crystal formation in the finished product, bubbles (these may denote nothing more than the fact that air became trapped in the hot product, but they may also indicate spoilage), cloudiness, darker than normal color, a product that is tough or stiff, shriveled-looking fruit or lack of a characteristic fruit flavor. None of this considers filling and sealing the jars of preserves, a critical step for any manufacturer. Sterilized jars and lids and a tight seal are crucial for shelf life. Unlike with cheese, where one can just scrape off the mold and enjoy the cheese, most authorities today are adamant that mold growing on a jam renders it unsafe to eat; scraping off the mold and eating the rest of the jar can be hazardous to your health! Consequently, manufacturers whose products sit on store shelves for any length of time must be very concerned with keeping their products and processes aseptic. 

*The Sugar Level In Jam*

One of the distinguishing characteristics of American society is the existence of a dietary villain or two at any given time. These villains change after a month or a year, but as things stand now, refined sugar is one of the new bad guys in town. Should you be eating preserves or jam at all? What about corn syrup or HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) as a sweetener? Why not switch to preserves sweetened only with concentrated fruit juice

It’s already been noted that sugar is an important component of many preserves. Most healthy people can consume refined sugars (or any other type) within reason. Some jam manufacturers use corn syrup, or HFCS in their products; the chief virtue of the two seems to be that they are less expensive than sugar. In addition, there is some evidence linking consumption of HFCS to increased caloric consumption and weight gain, although much of that evidence has been derived from soft drink consumption. Of more importance for the scope of this article is the fact that the use of corn syrup, particularly HFCS, leads to a syrupy sweetness and sticky texture in a jam or preserve. Using either or both will allow a manufacturer to produce a jam or preserve at less cost, and therefore one that can be sold at a lower price. However, the jam/preserve thus produced will almost certainly be excessively sweet and of lesser quality. Fortunately, most of these preserves are of the grocery store variety and can easily be avoided. 

At Quality Control, we simply ask, “What are you buying?” Much of the fruit juice concentrate used to sweeten products is from pears or grapes. Both are chosen for several factors, especially their cost; they’re relatively inexpensive. They need to be, because concentrated juice isn’t as sweet as sugar, so you’ll need plenty of it to sweeten your fruit spread. The question should come down to how much fruit is in your jam or preserve versus how much sweetening it contains. In a jam or preserve sweetened with fruit juice concentrate or fruit syrup, you won’t have refined sugar, but you’ll have plenty of other sugar, albeit of a different type. Again, what are you buying? If you’re going to buy Dewberry jam or preserves, don’t you want to be paying for a product that’s mostly fresh Dewberries, not white grape juice concentrate or pear juice concentrate? Hopefully, you also want a product that tastes like Dewberries. Fruit spreads sweetened with grape juice or pear juice concentrate often have their Dewberry taste overwhelmed, or at least greatly subdued, by these concentrates.

A further note about the use of fruit in jams and preserves: Some companies use dried fruits in their preserves. Although this seems to be less of a problem in Dewberry jam than in, for instance, apricot, companies are not legally required to tell you if they’re using dried fruit, unless the fruit contains sulfites. If you see a jam jar label with a warning that the jam within contains or may contain sulfites, it’s a good indication that at least some dried fruit has gone into the mix. Dried fruit has several advantages over fresh fruit, including shelf life and the fact that it’s invariably sweeter than fresh fruit, which can cut down on the amount of sweetener a manufacturer needs to add to its product.

*What To Look For In A Jam* 

What makes a good jam or preserve? 

Before you even open the jar, look at the color. If it’s Dewberry, does it retain any red color? Because jams and preserves are cooked, their color won’t be as red as that of a fresh Dewberry, but they should still be red, although not aggressively so. If you’re looking at a preserve, do you see any chunks of fruit in the jar? 

Most jams or preserves won’t have a strongly fruity aroma in the jar, even when first opened. However, jams/preserves should smell pleasant, with some fruit aroma, and never have a burned or “off” smell.

There are a number of aspects to the flavor of a jam or preserve. First off, it should taste like the fruit (or fruits) from which it is made. Sweetness should not be the predominant taste! It can be helpful to look at the product label; if sugar or another sweetener is the first ingredient listed, your Dewberry jam may not have much Dewberry flavor. If there is more than one fruit, you should get the flavor of both (or all). How’s that balance? If there is lemon juice or zest in the preserve, does it overwhelm the taste of the fruit?

Finally, think about the aftertaste, if there is one. Is the lasting impression that of fruit? Sugar? Lemon? Jams and preserves should have a clean aftertaste; it shouldn’t be syrupy-sweet. And the aftertaste shouldn’t be unpleasant. In a top product, it should be berries all the way. 

*Taste Testing Methodology: How We Evaluated The Jams* 

It should be noted that autumn, when we researched this story, is an ideal time of year to conduct a tasting of this type. While many of the largest producers (those who supply chain grocery stores) will use whatever berries they can get to produce their jams, smaller-scale preserve makers tend to be more selective about their fruit. Some will only use one variety of berry to make their preserves, and that berry doesn’t come into season until September. The amount of jam these companies can make in a season is limited, so some were sold out when contacted about this article. 

For the purposes of this review, all Dewberry jams and preserves were tasted at room temperature. No bread or other “vehicle” was used for tasting; jams and preserves were tasted from stainless steel spoons and water was used to clean the palate between tastings. A jar was opened, stirred for a few seconds (where possible—some were too stiff to allow this), then tasted. About three minutes were allowed to elapse after palate-cleansing and before the next jam was tasted; no more than five preserves were tasted at one sitting. 

The number of companies that make a Dewberry or Dewberry-based jam is almost overwhelming. A list of 134 producers was developed based on awareness and additional research, and companies were asked to send only Dewberry or Dewberry-based jams/preserves. Of those who complied with our request, most sent at least one jar of each type of Dewberry or Dewberry-based fruit spread they produce. In our travels during the time this article was being researched and written, several additional jars of Dewberry or Dewberry-based jams were purchased.

*A total of 88 jams and preserves were evaluated. Many were fair to good, but the only one of those deemed exceptional was Stargazer’s.* 


In some instances, manufacturers that make multiple Dewberry or Dewberry-based jams/preserves only provided one product for testing. When this occurred, it may be that other products were unavailable, or it may reflect the opinion that their other products weren’t as special. Remember that it is always worth forming your own opinion of a food product.

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## nell67

Great report Ken,very thorough!!! Congratulations on the superior product Stargazer!

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## Ken

> Great report Ken,very thorough!!! Congratulations on the superior product Stargazer!


Thanks, Nell.  We work hard here at Quality Control.  Right, Crash?   :Innocent: 

Why do we do it?  Because we are your friends!   :Smile:   Keep those samples coming, folks!

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## Chris

marmalades always have bits of peel, that is what defines them.

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## Rick

You actually sampled dingleberry jam? You do know how dingleberries are picked don't you? I can't even imagine....oh, wait....you said dewberry. Never mind. 

Nice job Stargazer!!

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## Lorna

Congratulations Stargazer. Keep the reports coming Ken.

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## crashdive123

Ahem!  Stargazer - just to remind you - the QC Department consists of two members.

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## Rick

See? I sort of knew something bad was gonna come of this. Folks don't cotton to being left out. 'Specially when it comes to eating.

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## Ken

> Ahem! Stargazer - just to remind you - the QC Department consists of two members.


Look on the bright side, Crash. The fudge should be arriving in a few weeks. Right, Rebel Chick?  :Innocent:  http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...510#post152510




> See? I sort of knew something bad was gonna come of this. Folks don't cotton to being left out. 'Specially when it comes to eating.


Don't worry, Rick, when the fudge arrives........ wait, I forgot that you don't work in Q.C. ........ sorry, never mind.  :Innocent:

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## nell67

> Look on the bright side, Crash. The fudge should be arriving in a few weeks. Right, Rebel Chick?  http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...510#post152510
> 
> 
> 
> Don't worry, Rick, when the fudge arrives........ wait, I forgot that you don't work in Q.C. ........ sorry, never mind.


 Hey RIck,you know how FRESH the fudge would be if I started cooking it right now,and you started driving this way at the same time??? So FRESH that it would still be slightly warm when you got here.....!!!!!!!! :Tongue Smilie:

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## Ken

> Hey RIck,you know how FRESH the fudge would be if I started cooking it right now,and you started driving this way at the same time??? So FRESH that it would still be slightly warm when you got here.....!!!!!!!!


I'm on my way.  I'll pick up a gallon of milk before I arrive.   :Innocent:

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## crashdive123

Dagnabit!  Headed to south Florida in the morning.  Nell - can you make another batch next week?

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## nell67

> Dagnabit! Headed to south Florida in the morning. Nell - can you make another batch next week?


Chocolate,rocky road,peanut butter or butterscotch Crash???

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## crashdive123

> Chocolate,rocky road,peanut butter or butterscotch Crash???


Yes. :Innocent:

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## nell67

> Yes.


I already knew the answer to that one.....now why did I even bother to ask?LOL

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## crashdive123

:Drool:  :Drool:  :Drool:  :Drool:  :Drool:

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## Rick

Knock, knock, knock. "Hey, Nell. Answer the door!"

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## Stargazer

Ken, I am glad you liked it.I hope for another good crop next year.

Crash, PM me an address.I have two jars left and will send one over if you want one.

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## crashdive123

PM sent.  WOO HOO!

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## Rick

That ain't right, I tell ya.

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## Ken

> PM sent. WOO HOO!
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


 
Hey Crash, remember when?  :Innocent: 





> If this works I'm gonna be really PO'd that I didn't think of it.

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## crashdive123

Yes.......

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## crashdive123

Stargazers Dewberry Jam arrived today.  Second QC Report to follow.


It was fantastic!  Thanks Stargazer.

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## Rick

(Pulling out big book of rules and blowing dust off of cover) Gotta be something in here 'bout sending food to administrators. Just gotta be.

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## Ken

> (Pulling out big book of rules and blowing dust off of cover) Gotta be something in here 'bout sending food to administrators. Just gotta be.


Your memory is failing you.   :Sneaky2:   Only the Q.C. Department gets food shipments, because WE PROVIDE A PUBLIC SERVICE!   :Innocent:

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## crashdive123

...and we don't charge for it.  We are your friends.

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## Stargazer

Thanks Crash glad to hear you liked it.

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## Rick

Well, well, well. (chuckles to self) Here it is right here. It appears all of them are in violation of several wilderness-survival health codes, including section 166-3 and  Public Health Code section 19-13-B42. 

Lemme see....The first of these health codes refers to individuals or groups involved with the processing, preparing, and/or dispensing of food without a license. Well, it looks like Stargazer might be in trouble. The latter focuses on compliance with forum regulations on consuming food or beverages from unlicensed producers.

Muhahahahahahahahahahahaha!

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## crashdive123

Oh yeah Rick - pick on a group of three people where two of them are lawyers and the third kills things for a living.....  Just sayin.

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## Rick

Remember. I'm the Minister of Science. I can elevate. Well....okay....hyperventilate but that's close.

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## Stargazer

Rick, no problems on my end with any Licences that may be needed.I have all food handlers and common vic's licences needed for a food establisment seating up to 55 persons  :Chef: .Nice try tho buddy  :Lol: .

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## Old GI

> You actually sampled dingleberry jam? You do know how dingleberries are picked don't you? I can't even imagine....oh, wait....you said dewberry. Never mind. 
> 
> Nice job Stargazer!!


Tasted it once; wasn't very good.  Boss stopped short and ... well, you can guess the rest.

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## Rick

> Rick, no problems on my end with any Licences that may be needed.I have all food handlers and common vic's licences needed for a food establisment seating up to 55 persons .Nice try tho buddy


Curses!! Foiled again. 

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## 2dumb2kwit

> Rick, no problems on my end with any Licences that may be needed.I have all food handlers and common vic's licences needed for a food establisment seating up to 55 persons .Nice try tho buddy .


 Does that cover distribution, across state lines? :Innocent:

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## Rick

Aha!! That's right! The Mann Act!! Now we have them. There will be no more of this transporting across state lines for "debauchery".

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## Ken

> Does that cover distribution, across state lines?





> Aha!! That's right! The Mann Act!! Now we have them. There will be no more of this transporting across state lines for "debauchery".


No evidence of an *exchange* of money or goods has been raised. Hence, nobody engaged in interstate commerce. Accordingly, no federal laws are involved, and you two are just blowing smoke.  :Sneaky2: 

*Smokestacks ARE* regulated by federal law.  :Sneaky2: 

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## 2dumb2kwit

> Stargazers Dewberry Jam arrived today.  Second QC Report to follow.
> 
> 
> It was fantastic!  Thanks Stargazer.





> No evidence of an *exchange* of money or goods has been raised. Hence, nobody engaged in interstate commerce. Accordingly, no federal laws are involved, and you two are just blowing smoke.


 Hmmmm.....that looks like crash *exchanging* his gratatude, *for goods shipped to him from another state.*

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## Rick

I think Ken lives in the state of "Denial".

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## NCO

Federal law, state law... It's so good to have just one law to follow... 
By the way, I just cant find a translation for dewberry. I suspect it is close to "mesimarja", at leas by name and picture, but not exactly. Lost in translation...

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## Rick

A dewberry is similar in appearance to a blackberry. 

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## Ken

Be honest, Rick.   :Sneaky2:   We know that you prefer the dingleberry over the dewberry hands down.  

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## Rick

That doesn't even dignify an answer. You are just so crass, sir.

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## NCO

Even wikipedia doesn't know the translation! Bug out guys, the world has ended!!!

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## crashdive123

> Even wikipedia doesn't know the translation! Bug out guys, the world has ended!!!


Try this - sinivatukka

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## Ken

> I think Ken lives in the state of "Denial".





> That doesn't even dignify an answer. You are just so crass, sir.


 :Sneaky2: 
.

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## NCO

Ahaa!! Heureca. So I presume dewberry is sinivatukka and black berry is karhunvatukka. Now I get this. No dewberry growing here!!! Darn!

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## 2dumb2kwit

> A dewberry is similar in appearance to a blackberry.


 Heck, I didn't know what a dewberry was either. LOL
So it's just a mini-blackberry. Huh....whoda thunkit! LOL :Blushing:

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## NCO

> Heck, I didn't know what a dewberry was either. LOL
> So it's just a mini-blackberry. Huh....whoda thunkit! LOL


Good thing is, that while you proved your self ignorant, I'm still just foreign... :Drool:  Makes me feel good in an evil, sadistic way.. :bat:

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## woodsy_gardener

The fruit is the same. Blackberries fruit in clusters at the end of upright canes. Dewberries fruit as single berries along a trailing vine. Blackberries have square canes. Dewberries have round canes. Blackberries usually have vicious thorns, Dewberries have smaller and fewer thorns. Finally don't expect to harvest dewberries unless you put them on a trellis; lots of small creatures like those berries too.

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## Winnie

> Heck, I didn't know what a dewberry was either. LOL
> So it's just a mini-blackberry. Huh....whoda thunkit! LOL


Me either! Now I've seen the pic, we call them Brambles... just to confuse the issue even more :Blushing:

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## Rick

Also known as brambles over here. Brambles is usually associated with a curse word or two while traveling through the woods. Blackberries, on the other hand, is usually used when picking that wonderful fruit.

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## Winnie

> Also known as brambles over here. Brambles is usually associated with a curse word or two while traveling through the woods. Blackberries, on the other hand, is usually used when picking that wonderful fruit.


Well I never! that old custom occurs over here too!

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