Equinox Plums

Several weeks ago we came upon some really incredible plum trees that looked like they needed picking. Last weekend we made our way back, with baskets this time, and stayed until they were full. They are a wild variety, similar to Italian plums- small, firm even when ripe and more green/pink than purple. We spent the rest of the day pitting and quartering. My hands were brown and achy by the time we were done. With the riches of many bowls full of fruit we set to jamming. I like this verb, jamming. It implies spontaneous music making, using what you got, rocking out. So there we were, jamming. Boiling pots of plums and sugar, trying decide on pectin ratios. Eventually the recipe ended something like this: (Adapted from Food and Wine)

1.5 lbs plums, pitted and cut into pieces
1.5 cups sugar (we used palm sugar)
1 lemon seeded

In a large non-reactive saucepan/pot, toss the plums with the sugar and let macerate for an hour or so.

Squeeze the lemon over the plums and bring combo to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolves. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the liquid runs off the side of the spoon in thick, syrupy drops. (In the original recipe they suggest this will take around 25 minutes, while mine took several hours to reach this consistency.)

If you never reach that thickness and you don't want to add more sugar you can add some pectin. We used Pomona's which had easy to follow directions.

Discard lemon and spoon the jam into jars (I used 1/2 pints), leaving about 1/4 inch at the top of the jar.

At this point you can do a water bath so they will store on the shelf or store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

This stuff is really yummy, it won't last 3 months in the fridge. If you do can it, it is a lovely gift for your faithful compadres- now, or at Christmas.
Go Jam.

Saudades

Here we are. The leaves are starting to turn and drift down in the wind. Pumpkins, diakon and brussel sprouts are for sale at Farmer's Market and the children are already anticipating Halloween. The summer was wonderful- longer days in which to eat more watermelon, swim more, laze more, dream more- and now, it is finished. In Portuguese, the word is Saudade, a feeling that dominated a good portion of my twenties and makes an apperance in my life every autumn. It is a longing for that which one knows is lost, or sometimes for that which never existed. It takes like ginginha (a sour cherry brandy for sale on the street corners of Lisbon) and roasted chestnuts wrapped in newspaper. It sounds like Amalia Rodrigues and it feels like lambswool- appealing, warm, a little itchy. Here are some photos taken on a recent trip to Europe. Lucien and the fruits of summer. Thank you universe, they were delicious. Tenho saudades tuas.