The Philosophical Forager : August 2016

Wild Cherry Plum Jam...Yum

Fig.1.L.Moore wild plums and 3 apples with chillies

Fig.2 .L.Moore Wild cherry plum jam/jelly

It's amazing how much free food is about at the moment. I was taking a walk down one of the quiet streets where I live and I came across a load of squashed fruit on the floor. I looked up expecting to see these beauties hanging from some lovely branches. To no avail...there wasn't any. So a bit perplexed I kept on walking . I carry on a little further and there is more of these fruity darlings on the floor...and still no fruit trees as I look up. What's going on? I kept walking and then I saw a little yellow fruit sitting inside a jungle of hedges...hm I thought...maybe someone picked the fruit up and laid it in the tree.

Let me continue with this thought.

I carry on walking and I see more little yellow fruits sitting in the hedges (the penny has nearly dropped). The fruits are getting more plentiful on the floor. I stand there still thinking about these fruits so I decide to peer a little closer into the urban hedge jungle. I pull back the hedge with my hand and Gordon Bennett (a UK saying) deep in the jungle are not one but loads of fruit. (yep the penny has finally dropped). There are red, yellow, purple fruits and YES YES and more YES'S it's plum alley. OMG I was in my element. I smell it and take some home for research.

After some reading I eat one...No I'm not ill. They are definitely plums.Well I never! I have not seen these beauties before (I'm not surprised they are so well hidden). So here is my amazing wild cherry fruit jam...it's gorgeous.

Go and scan your local floors by hedges and see if you can fins some...there are loads of them. Of course always be careful 'if in doubt leave it out'.

Recipe

1 and a half pounds of plums (with stones in)

* 3 foraged small apples

half a pint of water

Sugar (the same amount of sieved juice)...read on for this

3 tbs lime or lemon juice

2 hot chillis (depending on your tolerance)

Method

Put your plums in a pan and then add your water. Bring to the boil and simmer until nice and soft. Now mash up your plums so the stones release and you have a soft mash (if it goes a bit dry add some more water. Simmer for a bit more. Then sieve your pulp into a bowl and collect all the juice. You can press it out a bit if you like which may make your jam/jelly cloudy. I pushed my pulp through my sieve a bit and it is not cloudy.

Once you have collected your juice put it back in the pan. Now pour in your sugar. Your sugar should be the same volume of your juice. I used the same bowl and made a line where the juice came to and poured my sugar into the bowl until it was the same amount of my juice and poured it into my pan. Not chop up your chillies and put them into your pan (including seeds) and then add 3 tbs of lime or lemon juice. I then heated the pan up and brought to the boil. I boiled for about 30 mins to 40 mins stirring continuously. When you feel your wooden spoon resisting the stirring as you stir your jam test it i.e. (take a teaspoon and put on a cold plate and place in the fridge). When it is cold it should crease up when you push your finger into it. If it still too runny then boil a bit more. Then pour into your sterilized jam jars.

* Ooops I forgot to mention the apples. Chop your apples and put them in with your plums in the pan at the beginning (the apples help the jam/jelly set a little).

Hoorah...it's gorgeous.

This can be used with yogurt and fruit, or on toast with butter, or with cold meats and cheeses and also put into a stir fry. Experiment...I have tons more so I will be getting creative with these plums so watch this space.