Kudzu Blossom Jelly

Yield: 6 half-pint jars

4 cups lightly-packed kudzu blossoms, well cleaned & drained

1 qt. boiling water

1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1 packet (1¾ oz.) sure gel or other powdered fruit pectin

5 cups granulated sugar

Place kudzu blossoms in a large glass bowl, pour boiling water over them and steep for about 8 hours (you can leave them overnight if you wish). After the water has cooled to room temperature, cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator.

Strain liquid through a colander into a large pot with a thick bottom. Discard blossoms. Add lemon juice and pectin, and stir to combine. Bring to rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. (Before you add the lemon juice to the steeping water, the water will be gray—don’t let this alarm you.) Stir in sugar and bring mixture back to boil. Allow to boil for one minute, stirring constantly.

Remove mixture from heat and skim the foam from the top. Pour mixture into hot, freshly-sterilized jars and fill to within ½ inch of the top. Wipe off rims, top with sterilized metal lids, screw on the metal bands and tighten. Process jars in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool on a wire rack.

© 2007, The Hungry Passport