Every year, in late August, my neighbours pass a vast sack of crab apples over the wall. They give me their harvest in exchange for half the crab apple jelly I make with it. But not this year. The endless rain put paid to that. I think Jo could probably count the number of apples on her tree they were so few and far between.
However, the plum tree at the bottom of her garden has produced a bumper crop, its branches laden with dark fruit. But because the tree stands behind a robust and spiky rose and the tree’s branches shoot up and over their back fence, away from the garden, we’ve never bothered trying to reach the plums. But this year the thought of our empty jam jars spurred us into action, to say sod it to the rose and the scratches, and get at that fruit. Actually I say us, but beyond saying, “I know it’s a shame about those crab apples, but what about the plums?” I had nothing to do with harvesting them. I am scratch-free.
It turns out that this is the first time anyone has ever tasted these plums and they are very sour indeed – perfect for jam. I cooked them down on a very low heat in a tiny amount of water until they began to fall apart at which point I started picking out the stones.
I had 1.8 kg of fruit to which I added 500g of jam sugar (with added pectin) and 100g of granulated sugar. Although the general guide for jam making is to have equal amounts of fruit and sugar, I think the sugar can sometimes overpower the flavour of the fruit. I’ve been experimenting with smaller and smaller quantities of sugar. So far so good.
And whilst of the subject of sugar, I love the moment when it is added to the thick pulpy fruit which instantly brightens and takes on a jewel-like clarity – in this case a glorious garnet. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t use jam sugar for plum jam as I think the stones add enough pectin, but it was the only sugar I had, apart from the 100g of granulated.
Making jam prompted me to start making my own bread again, something I’ve done only very occasionally over the last six years. Back in London I got into the habit of making several loaves each week having discovered an incredibly easy recipe on a packet of Dove’s flour. I’m not sure why I stopped. Just one of those things, I suppose. But I’ve now established a little routine having worked out a similarly straightforward recipe using a mix of equal amounts of strong white flour and wholemeal flour, both from Waitrose.
Now I need to get to work on these…
3.5 kg of greengages from my sister’s garden.
We’re crab-apple-free this year too…the plum jam looks good though, I haven’t had greengage jam in years- it do remember that it was delicious though…Happy Jam making!
This is why I love blogging -to know I am not the only person in the world still making jam.
No crab apples here either which is a blessing because quite honestly I don’t need any more crab apple jelly.
You’ve inspired me to make jam, I’ve got various sorts of fruit in the freezer and I’m running out of space. I’ve never made jam, keep saying I will give it a try.
It is very, very easy and well worth at least experimenting with. My one cardinal rule is to put a saucer in the freezer when I start so that I can check the set – I do this about 5mins after getting a rolling boil (once sugar added), and I keep at it religiously until I get the texture and set that I am after – one rubbery experience and you’ll never want to leave this to chance again! I tend to use very little water, just let the fruit break down on a low heat. And, as I said in my post, I try to get away with as little sugar as possible, though I think if I were making a large batch just for myself, and which would then need to be kept for a long time, I’d probably tend towards being a little more generous with my sugar. You will find loads of recipes online – follow one that sounds nice, get the feel of it and then after that you’ll find you can really do it without needing to look anything up at all. Good luck!
And just one last thing – Delia is very good on jam making, but my favourite for its simple, minimal instructions is Jenny Baker’s From Kettle Broth to Gooseberry Fool which I think you can pick up online for a few pence.
I love this book and thanks for recommending it several months ago. I have just read her chapter on making jams and jellies and she’s clear and practical. Look forward to tasting the greengage jam!!!
What a luscious post. My husband, Chris, has made a delicious batch of blackberry jam so far but I don’t think there will be any plum jam or even pickled pears for us this year.
Best wishes
Ellie
Ahh greengages! I have very happy memories of ripe greengages from the tree at a friend’s house – slightly acidic near the skin and like honey in the centre. Shop-bought greengages always disappoint!
We’ve a mixed report, two out of three of the cooking apples, no crop, one looking quite bountiful (different variety, but no idea what) desert apple, smaller and slightly less crop than usual, but the crows, who usually massacre it have left it be, which suggests they won’t be as sweet as usual. Bramble jelly, home made white bread, nom nom nom… I’ve a fancy to make rowan jelly if only for the colour
I thought that the juice and the remains of the plums on the stones almost exactly match the decoration on your plate – very pretty.
There are no crab apples locally this year, all the blossom was blown and rained off. Fingers crossed for next year.
Oh, yum. The turn into September has got me thinking about the huge box of kilner jars I brought home from France last year. We’ve just moved to the seaside and I need to find the secret places where the crab apples, blackberries and sloes grow. Back home in the village I had a little hidden wood where I could pick everything I needed.
Packet of Dove’s Farm flour, eh? Will have to look for that recipe. I last made bread by hand when I was a student and it wasn’t very nice, although I persisted for most of my final year. I had more success with a breadmaker but that’s broken now. But I do miss freshly baked bread.