Fifth Column Blackberry Jam

Hello, friends!

I’m back with another installment of my Agatha Christie–inspired kitchen adventures courtesy of the absolute gem of a cookbook called Recipes for Murder. I swear, that title makes me laugh every single time I say it. Recipes for Murder! It sounds like something you’d find scribbled in the margins of a suspect’s notebook in a Poirot mystery, or muttered by Miss Marple while she’s stirring sugar into her tea. And yet here it is, an actual cookbook filled with recipes connected to the Christie-verse. I honestly think it’s the funniest title for a cookbook ever, because let’s be clear: I am not out here poisoning anyone with arsenic-laced scones. No murders in my kitchen. None. Zip. Nada.

But—I am killing it in the kitchen. (Get it? Get it? Killing it? Please appreciate this wordplay because I have been saving it for weeks and honestly, my family is sick of hearing it.)

Anyway, today’s recipe is one I knew I had to try the second I spotted it in the book: blackberry jam, also known in my kitchen as Fifth Column Blackberry Jam. Why the dramatic title? Because it comes from N or M?, one of Ivy and I's favorite Tommy and Tuppence novels. And also because jam has a sneaky way of infiltrating every single carb in the house once you make it. Jam is the ultimate fifth columnist: it gets into your morning toast, your evening scone, and your midnight snack before you realize you’ve eaten half the jar standing at the fridge in your pajamas.

Ivy’s Favorite Detectives

Now, a little background. Ivy—my resident Agatha Christie fangirl—adores Tommy and Tuppence. They’re her absolute favorite characters from the Christie-verse, and honestly, I get it. They’re cheeky, brave, slightly chaotic, and their banter is top tier. I’ve read a bunch of their adventures with her, and N or M? might be my favorite. For one, Tuppence inventing an alter ego is absolutely hilarious. Like, why just be a spy when you can also be a dramatic spy? And two, Betty Sprot is the most adorable child character in the Christie canon, hands down.

So of course, when the book mentioned her fondness for blackberry jam, I knew what my kitchen mission was. I had to make Betty Sprot’s favorite spread.

And friends, this jam is not only ridiculously tasty—it’s also easy. Like, suspiciously easy. Like, “this is so simple maybe Christie herself was hiding state secrets in a jam jar” easy. We’re talking four ingredients, one pot, ten minutes of stirring. That’s it.

Small Batch, Big Payoff

This is a small batch jam, so you don’t have to commit to a dozen jars that will sit in your pantry for years while you pretend you’re the kind of person who “puts up” fruit every summer. Nope. This makes just enough for one jar—perfect for a weekend, or for an afternoon of reading N or M? while you sneak spoonfuls straight from the fridge.

Also, no pectin! Which is both great (fewer ingredients) and slightly terrifying (what do you mean, fruit sets itself??). But blackberries have enough natural pectin to make it work, so you get that lovely jammy texture without any fuss.

Inspired by Recipes for Murder

Fifth Column Blackberry Jam Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups (450 grams) blackberries

• 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Place the blackberries and sugar in a medium pot and let them muddle together for about 10 minutes. (This is basically fruit gossip time. The berries soften up, the sugar gets nosy, and everyone spills their secrets.)

2. Mash the berries up a bit, then add the lemon juice and salt. Give it a good stir.

3. Put the whole shebang on medium heat and stir gently until the sugar dissolves completely.

4. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. (Yes, constantly. No wandering off to check your phone unless you want blackberry lava redecorating your stovetop.)

5. Pour into a fancy jar—or a recycled pickle jar you swore you’d use someday—and seal with the lid.

6. Let it come to room temperature before refrigerating. Then do your best to make it last longer than three days. Good luck.

A Jam Fit for Spies

I’m telling you, this jam is dangerously good. Slather it on toast, swirl it into yogurt, tuck it between cake layers, or eat it straight from the spoon while pretending you’re deciphering enemy code. I promise, it will make you feel at least 20% more like a clever spy and 100% more like a person who has their life together. (Which, if you’ve seen my laundry pile, is truly the performance of a lifetime.)

And honestly, there’s something kind of perfect about pairing this recipe with Christie’s espionage novel. N or M? is all about double agents, hidden identities, and who you can really trust—and blackberry jam is the exact opposite. Jam is pure, sweet, trustworthy comfort in a jar. Maybe that’s why Betty Sprot loves it. Even in a world of suspicion and secrets, there’s jam.

Escape Hatch

So here’s my deal for you: go make this jam, grab a copy of N or M?, and give yourself a break from the chaos of real life. Because if Agatha Christie taught us anything, it’s that sometimes the best way to deal with life’s mysteries is with a good story and something delicious to eat while you read it.

And hey—if you happen to solve an international spy conspiracy while you’re at it? Even better.

Until next time, friends. Don’t kill anyone—just kill it in the kitchen.