North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Don Yellman <don.yellman@webformation.com>]

Sarah:

Odd that you should mention Certo.  It was Certo that nearly drove us around 
the bend before we discovered Pomona's pectin.  (Puhleeze not Pumona's!).  
You can free yourself from the Certo nightmare by contacting the Canadian 
distributor of Pomona's pectin: Harvest Plus, Parksville, BC.  
info@pomonauniversalpectin.com.  Toll free 877-706-8493.

Using Pomona's, you can double, triple, or quadruple your recipe without fear by simply adjusting amounts.  The margin for error in the amount of pectin used is much wider than with ordinary pectin.  We gradually adjusted the pectin downward until we arrived at the amount that would give us a nice, spreadable product.  That amount was about 2/3 the recommendation on the product insert.  There is, however, a minimum amount of pectin that must be used to avoid failure, and we found that failure point at about 1/2 the amount recommended on the insert.  You can use as much or little sugar as you like, or substitute honey or artificial sweeteners, and this pectin will still work every time.  

The pectin must be thoroughly dry-blended with sugar before adding to the hot 
juice or fruit to prevent clumping, and the corresponding amount of calcium 
solution must be used with each teaspoon of pectin.  (If you do not dry-blend 
the pectin with sugar you must pre-dissolve the pectin with hot water in a 
blender.)  It is never necessary to boil hell out of the juice, either before 
or after adding pectin, and the hot jelly may be packed directly into 
sterilized jars after only 1 minute of boiling to dissolve the pectin.  Or, 
if you like, you can sterilize after packing by boiling for an additional 
10-15 minutes.  You will find that the insert gives you several flexible ways 
to use this product.  I think you will also find that, although each 
individual packet of Certo may be cheaper, using Pomona's will  lower your 
overall cost because one box will produce a lot more jelly.

Right now, it sounds like the score reads: Certo 5, You 0.  It's time to get 
a few wins.  If you do try Pomona's, please tell us how it works out for you.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA