Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
The Santa Rosa plum is rich and tangy, with soft flesh and a nice floral character. It’s yellow on the inside and red or purple on the outside. They tend to be smaller than commercially available plums, so require a little more work to make jam.
Tweaking a family favorite. With enough wild plums to experiment, I tried one with added pectin, one with no pectin and (the big winner) plum and pineapple with 5 spice.
A recipe based on one from Linda Ziedrich's The Joy of Jams, Jellies, and Other Sweet Preserves. Her recipe is for Damson plums and does not include cardamon.
Lemonade Fermented with Whey results in a tangy, bright and fizzy summer drink. Add Plum Syrup, or any other stonefruit, and enjoy a truly delicious, nutritious and seasonal drink.
Plums made spicy and sweet for a dipping sauce makes a nice gift, preserves well and goes with savory or sweets. It can be made with plums or apricots. Keep the seeds in to up the heat! Works with chips and veggies too.
.JPG "Stone Fruit & Wine Sauce")
