Its harvest time right here in my own backyard today! I have a wild plum tree that resides in my back yard, well, it's actually the neighbors tree. The stalk is in their yard, and the branches are in mine! Lucky for me! Besides, the house next door is empty, so there is no one to share the bounty with anymore.
And it is just bursting with big delicious organic purple plums! Just Good 'ol Mother Natures gifts. I couldn't believe how many there are this year, so I have been picking and bagging, and sharing this harvest with my lucky neighbors today.
There is just no way we can possibly eat them all.... So I must share!!!
I have been nibbling on these for a week or so, so delicious and fresh. Perfect in the morning with bananas.....
Look at how pretty they are when the sun hits them just so....
The neighbors bulging bag of plums. They were all so grateful to receive them, but I was the grateful one to give them....
I would have liked to have presented them to my neighbors in a pretty little package, but was running short on time today, so they just went into a plastic grocery bag. I don't think they minded, but I always think about that sort of thing.... It's my disorder. I cannot just send a plain package in the mail either, I have to embellish it somehow. I know it's silly, but that's just me....
A perfect little late night snack ... I even ate them for dinner 2 times this last week, with some cheese and a few slices of ham and crackers.
I found a great little recipe for Plum Jam on Chef in You's website
Prep Time: 30 min to 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 min to 1 hour
Yield: Around 3 pint sized jars
Ingredients
About 5 cups of
plums, chopped and pitted
2 tbsp of freshly
squeezed lemon juice
1 packet powdered
fruit pectin
1 cup honey ( depends
on the sweetness of the plums. Increase/decrease as per taste. I have used
honey for enhancing the nutrition. You can use sugar instead)
1/2 cup water
Mix the plums, pectin and lemon juice in a heavy bottomed
pan and cook in medium heat
The plums will start liquefying slowly.
While slightly mushy, add 1/2 cup water, stir well and cook
until it comes to a boil.
Remove the foam that forms on the top. Another tip to make
the foam go away easily would be to add a little butter.
Add the honey or sugar, mix and cook for another 10-15
minutes until it all starts coming together as one thick syrup consistency.
Alternatively with soapy water, clean the Jam can well,
along with the lid. Lightly dry it and then drop them in a big pot of water.
Bring them to a boil. Make sure your jars are submerged well.
Lift them carefully (don't burn your hands) and lightly dry
them with paper towels. They should feel hot since it will make sure that the
bottle does not break when your pour the jam inside. Slowly pour the jam into
the Jar up to about 1/2-1/8 inch on top. Leftovers in the pan are a dream! why?
Your fingers will tell you ;-)
Close the lid tightly and invert the bottle to help the Jam
set well for about 5 minutes.
Now slowly place it, straight up, inside the hot boiling
water and leave it for another 5-8 minutes. This is done/necessary cos if
skipped the Jam will spoil. If you live in higher altitudes, then leave them
for about 10min. Too much boiling can make the plums too soft.
Remove them, let it cool. Refrigerate them. Enjoy them with
your toasts or any other recipe you like :) All this may sound like a long
process, but believe me, once done the satisfaction that it gives every time
you scoop a spoonful is unparalleled!
I really should take the time to do this, what a treat at Christmas time to have some plum preserves at hand! Or even some plum chutney for Thanksgiving would be nice too!
On Martha Stewart's website There are some delicious recipes for plums too! Like this lovely Tapioca Pudding with Glazed Plums... Yum!
Or these easy Grilled Plum Kebabs with Vanilla Ice Cream... a tasty little desert that can be completed in only minutes!
Well, who knew there were so many things that one could do with plums!
There are just so many great recipes you can find online now, with wonderful photos, which I love!
I shall have fun trying some of these recipes, and finding more delicious ways to use up all these little beauties from the nature gods.
Enjoy the Day and be thankful for the all little things that make you smile....
Xo ~Susan
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