By The channel crossed 100,000 subscribers on Friday. I was in the middle of making jam — apricot, from a flat I got at the farmers market — and my phone buzzed with the YouTube notification and I set down the wooden spoon and just stood there for a moment with sticky hands and the smell of apricots on the stove.
One hundred thousand people. I said it out loud to no one because no one was home. Then I finished the jam because the jam doesn't care about milestones and you can't walk away from a pot of hot fruit.
When Gary came home I showed him the number. He picked me up, which he almost never does, and spun me once. I was still in my apron and laughing and it was ridiculous and perfect. He put me down and said, "You did that." I said we did that, meaning all of us, the kids and the workshops and everything that fed into the kitchen and then into the videos. He shook his head. "You did that," he said again, and I let him be right.
I made a video to mark it — not a recipe, just a conversation about what the channel is and where it came from. I talked about the workshops. I talked about cooking as care. I didn't talk about Grace. But I thought about her the whole time, the way her absence is woven into everything I've built since. She would have been five and a half now. I think she would have liked apricot jam.
The jam set perfectly. Twelve jars. I gave three to Debra, three to Kara, three to my neighbor, and kept three for us. That felt like the right distribution for a hundred-thousand-subscriber day.
Apricot jam was the recipe I was actually making that Friday, but rhubarb jelly is the one I keep coming back to when I want to give something away — and on a day like that, giving felt like the whole point. There’s something about the process of making jelly, the patience and the heat and the satisfying click of lids sealing, that mirrors exactly how I feel about building something slowly until it works. If you’ve never made a preserve from scratch, this is the one to start with: straightforward, gorgeous in the jar, and exactly the kind of thing worth sharing with the people who showed up for you.
Rhubarb Jelly
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 48 (approx. 6 half-pint jars)
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 lbs fresh rhubarb stalks, chopped (about 10 cups)
- 3 cups water
- 1 package (1.75 oz) powdered fruit pectin
- 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp butter (to reduce foaming)
Instructions
- Extract the juice. Combine chopped rhubarb and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes until rhubarb is completely soft. Pour mixture through a damp jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined colander set over a large bowl. Let drip for at least 2 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator) without pressing the pulp, to keep the jelly clear. You should have about 3 1/2 cups of juice.
- Prepare jars. Wash six half-pint canning jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water. Keep jars warm in a low oven (200°F) or in a pot of simmering water until ready to fill.
- Cook the jelly. Pour the rhubarb juice into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Stir in lemon juice and powdered pectin. Add butter. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add sugar. Add all the sugar at once and return to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.
- Fill the jars. Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean with a damp cloth. Apply lids and bands fingertip-tight.
- Process. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool undisturbed on a towel for 12–24 hours. Check seals — lids should not flex up and down. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within 3 weeks. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 78 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 20g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 1mg