I received the very generous gift of fresh, wild mulberries recently, about a gallon of them. They're a bit reminiscent of, but not quite like, blackberries, and are sweet without any hint of tartness.

I've baked a coffee cake with them, I plan to make syrup with them, I'm going to freeze some of them. And I also made a very quick, simple jam. No need for water baths and canning equipment, no need to run to the grocery store to buy pectin. I tend to like my jam fairly soft, rather than firmly set; so I just thickened it with a touch of cornstarch, keeping it very spreadable while still helping it to gel.

Luscious on freshly baked biscuits, a perfect complement to toast, sublime spread between the layers of a Victoria sponge cake... it's hard to go wrong however you use this beautiful jam.

Mulberry Jam

1 cup mulberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Place mulberries, sugar, honey, and lemon zest into a small saucepan; bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low. Mash berries a bit, and cook for 2 minutes to release some of the liquid. Stir together cornstarch and water, then stir into mulberries. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened but still with just a bit of liquid. Remove from heat and place jam into a jar.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Mary Bilyeu - a self-proclaimed Food Floozie (named for her blog, which is taking a summer vacation) - writes for AnnArbor.com on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, telling about her adventures in the kitchen. She is also on a mission to find great deals for her Frugal Floozie Friday posts, seeking fabulous food at restaurants on the limited budget of only $5 per person. Feel free to email her with questions, comments, or suggestions: yentamary@gmail.com.

The phrase "You Should Only Be Happy" (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured in this post) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15 and is a wish for all her readers - when you come to visit here, may you always be happy.