Well, after years of suffering through time spent in my kitchen, I FINALLY found my cooking niche. Everyone who knows me knows that cooking isn’t my thing, my passion, or my interest, but people ARE my passion so I prepare meals because I love my family and want to take care of them. This summer, I have discovered something I truly enjoy creating in my kitchen at Green Acres.

Homemade. Muscadine. Jelly.  There is something joyful to me about picking hundreds of tiny, purple muscadines and turning them into the best tasting jelly on the planet. These little wild grapes are bursting with flavor. To be honest, I don’t care for the taste or smell of them straight from the vine, but when you begin boiling them for the juice, something magical happens. A sweet, tart smell begins wafting around the kitchen and, once you add in copious amounts of sugar, the magic becomes reality. The most scrumptious tasting jelly I have ever spread on a piece of toast was created by something growing wild on our own ranch! What an amazing feeling!

My newfound hobby brings me satisfaction because, with my own two hands…..and lots of help from my family….I can provide something tasty for my family for the entire year without paying a penny for it from the grocery store. The thing that I love is that it seems much more “permanent” and “lasting” than a simple meal prepared for my family. I can place a label and date on it and still have some stocked in my cupboard over a year from now. On the contrary, when I prepare a meal, it seems as if I cook for hours, we inhale the entire thing in approximately fifteen minutes, and then I clean for what seems like an eternity. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t have the same exhilarating effect for me.

In regards to my recent discovery, my family may be eating muscadine jelly instead of actual food for a while! Hopefully, I will soon get over my current obsession…..or should I say currant obsession! 😉 This may trump any home cooked meals until muscadine season ends here on Green Acres.  P, B, & J anyone?!

Until then, the summer jam session is still in full swing.