Spreading joy with this fireweed jelly recipe

Alaska summer means sunshine, camping and fishing. And lots and lots of fireweed.

Considering how easy it is to harvest and what an abundance of fireweed there is, it only makes sense to take advantage and get crafty. To get started, you’ll need:

• 8 cups fireweed petals (This is for the fireweed juice base.)

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon butter

• 1 package (or 1 ¾ ounces) dry pectin (SURE-JELL is a popular brand.)

• 3 cups sugar

Check out CIRI’s website for the full recipe, which yields about 32 ounces of jelly. Personal tip: Enjoy the finished product with Pilot’s Bread.

– Jovell Rennie, The Alaska 100