Delayed productivity still Tastes Good

[primsong]

This past autumn I was feeling so buried in apples that when the little greengage plums came in I ended up just whacking them in half to pull out the pits and stuffing them into ziplocs in the freezer. Finally got around to doing them up today, canning takes sooo long but it's always so nice to see the end result.



They look so home-like and cozy, still warm from the canner. This is a greengage jam made with the apple juice I steamed out from my apples plus a little fructose, a shake of allspice and a bit of lemon peel. Came out almost like a 'butter' instead of a jam mostly because being frozen and thawed changed the texture of the fruit. I'm experimenting with no-sugar jam attempts... Tastes tangy and lovely. I feel so productive, in a delayed sort of way. Wish I could share it with you all.

Comments

[shirebound]

Oh, yummy yum!

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Indeed! My two young plum trees put out more than I thought they did, making this many jars. Greengages are tiny dessert plums like big marbles so it takes a lot to add them up.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Yum, I think I can smell them from here. I'm jealous of your cooking / canning skills! (And also your plum trees!)

[pippins-scarf.livejournal.com]

That looks delish....

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Canning really isn't difficult, just time-consuming - and very steamy, which is why doing it on a cold day instead of in August was kind of nice. Do you have any fruit trees where you are?

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Is - tho' I think the alternate sweeteners route doesn't have all the bugs worked out yet, it's pretty tart still. Does your new place have a garden area? You'll probably get a nice bit of sun there.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I have a lemon tree -- canned lemons?

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Ooo, yum! I'd be making something like lemon marmalade, (http://homecooking.about.com/od/jellyrecipes/r/bljelly32.htm) (just be sure to remove all the pith or it'll be too bitter) or perhaps lemon jelly (http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/821931/) ... I've seen a lovely lemon-ginger preserve before too.

[acciochocolate.livejournal.com]

Does look yummy! I've pretty much given up eating bread and much pasta (the carbs) though, so I have all these jams and jellies and nothing to eat them on. I really dislike processed soft white bread, but the good stuff goes bad quick in my house, seeing as I'm the only one to eat it. :(

Are greengages like the wild small plums that we used to pick alongside the country roads?

[primsong.livejournal.com]

I can't stand that cheap "bread" either - I just keep the tasty good bread in the freezer so a slice can be popped off and into the toaster when it's called for, that way it doesn't go all moldy, lacking preservatives and whatever else it is they put in that white stuff.

I think these would be sweeter than the wild plums, and their stones aren't so big so you get more fruit from them, though the tart plums would make a good jam too. :-)