Italian Strawberry Syrup

Process the strawberries in a food processor until pureed. In a bowl, mix the strawberries, yeast, and the 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir until the yeast is dissolved. Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside at room temperature to ferment. Stir occasionally.

Once the mixture no longer bubbles when stirred (after about 4 days), strain through layers of cheesecloth into a large saucepan. Squeeze the cheesecloth to extract all the juice.

To the strawberry mixture in the saucepan add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce to about 7 cups. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Then, if you intend to use all the syrup with 1 month, simply pour the cooled mixture into clean glass containers. Without further processing, the syrup will keep, refrigerated, for up to 4 weeks.

To keep the syrup longer than 1 month, place the jars in a gently boiling (210 degrees) hot-water canner and process for 15 minutes. At high altitudes, increase time as specified by manufacturer. Remove the jars from the canner, cover tightly.

CANNING TIPS: Gently remove the screw bands after 24 hours. It is important to do this after 24 hours as they will become difficult to remove, may rust, and may not work properly again. Don't force them as you may break the vacuum seal.

Completed vegetables and fruits must always be stored in a dry, dark, cool area. Lids corrode in damp atmospheres; loss of food color occurs from too strong light; and jars break if frozen. Always label jars with the contents and the date.