Not Canned.

Never before have I bothered to make fruit preserves - mostly because (for some inexplicable reason) I always thought I would have to make huge batches and can or otherwise jar them up.

A friend of mine recently forwarded me a delicious recipe, perfect for using up the bounty of berries currently available at the market. The recipe is easily scaled.

Strawberry & Balsamic Preserves

1 pound fresh ripe strawberries, washed and quartered

3/4 cups sugar

juice of one small lemon

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer to reduce until thickened. Once all the liquid came out, I wound up reducing the volume by about 1/2 to 2/3rds. As the preserves cool, they will continue to thicken nicely.

Serve on toast, freshly baked bread, cake or ice cream...or eat it straight from the bowl ;)

Thanks Marie, for passing on the recipe!