After our little foraging trip, we had a kilo of wild plums, tiny and more sour than sweet. I roasted them to soften them then pushed the pips out, one by one. I transferred the soupy flesh to a saucepan, added sugar, then watched it bubble and simmer until it was sticky and jammy. Then I poured it into scalding hot jars, left them to cool, then tied it all up with string.
The end result - tart, not too sweet, perfect on a scone. Hopefully not poisonous.
{Washi tape purchased from my old friend, the Craft Queen.}
Your jam looks delicious, there is such a difference with home made jam, it actually tastes like fruit.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma used to use a tinned jam called "Myra Plum" I can't remember what brand it was but it was soooo good, a bit tart and not too sweet.
Here in Qld I am still able to get Strawberries for $4 a 500grm punnet at the local markets,so some more jam making in a few days when the heatwave goes and will do some apricot as well because the shop ones are so bland.
Looks like your little girls had lots of fun collecting the plums, the vintage fabric dresses make them look like butterflies dancing along the lane.
You are a clever cat, Greer :-)
ReplyDeleteHomemade plum jam is amazingly good. Cooking the plums makes the house smell great too.
ReplyDeleteI no live by myself in an apartment, but when my three sons were small, I bottled hundreds of jars of fruit a year and made all out jam, just fruit and sugar usually. I have found Anatoth jams from NZ which taste just as mine did. No chemicals. Lots of good jams and pickles and chutneys too.
You will probably find apples out foraging too. Not cosmetically beautiful but they taste good. I have a friend who lives on Old South Road on top of hill overlooking Bowral. She regularly gets lots of fruit from foraging locally. I was given some plums like yours a few weeks ago.
Hi Greer - just wanted to stop by and wish you a happy new year. I love the look of your plum jam. We used to have a plum tree in our garden and it produced SO much fruit, then we over-pruned it and it died. I miss it every year. I once saw a recipe for plum and earl grey jam and always wanted to make that - it sounds so elegant! x
ReplyDeleteJam from foraging always tastes the best I think. We've done the same with quinces and apples. I recently raided a peach tree, but we got greedy and ate them all. Haven't tried wild plum but it sure looks interesting. There must be many old plantings growing wild in your area. It's wonderful when you can remember to come back to the same trees every year.
ReplyDeleteoh, yum! i love making jams during the summertime. i love how you packaged the jars!
ReplyDeletelindsey louise
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It looks delicious, love your blog. catherine x
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