Jan Norris: Food and Florida

Don’t attempt this — or any other jelly — on a humid day. Jellymaking, like any other cooking that involves boiling sugar (pralines, icings, fudge) and even baking is subject to relative humidity for “setting up” or gelling properly. I’ve had some magnificent failures, along with brilliant successes at this; take my word for it.

To my Yanks: Air-conditioning has nothing to do with humidity, so don’t think because your house has AC, you’re OK.

• Muscadine grape jelly
  1 gallon ripe muscadines
  4 1/2 cups sugar
  1 box Sure Jell (pectin)
  2 cups water
  Sterile pint jars
  Timer

Halve the muscadines and de-seed. Put muscadines in pan and cover with 1 inch more water. Bring to full boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer until tender.

Put grapes into a wet jelly bag in a frame over a bowl. Return extracted juice to pot.
Stir the pectin together with 4 cups of sugar in a bowl. Stir into the grape juice.
Bring mixture to hard boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

Stir in all at once the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Bring back to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Start timer at the boil, and continue boiling for 1 minute and 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and skim off foam. (Take care: mixture is hot enough to cause serious burns.)
Fill jars immediately to the bottom screw-line and seal; turn upside-down on counter till completely cool.
Put rings on jars, and store upright in cupboard.