It's that time of year when I am extra specially busy in the kitchen. Christmas cooking for us and for the market: the usual, plus the seasonal produce to replenish dwindling stocks. Some products I do manage to make just once a year.
My spicy plum jam is one of them. One of the stall holders lives on a farm and during harvest, the farmer gives/allows (I am not sure what) him crates of fruit. A couple of weeks ago, it was apricots. I had to give those a miss: my Sunday wasn't my own and they don't keep. They need to be processed within a day. I am sorry I didn't do a 12 to 4am shift: the apricot harvest has been dismal: down 60%, one of our farmer friends tells me. So when I saw the plums and I had already tentatively planned a big cook yesterday, in the hope of apricots...I plummed for the plums.
So, first up yesterday, my spicy plum jam. This is a line I considered discontinuing a year ago and which has regained popularity. A friend who visited recently, and happily accepted a jar as a gift, said when I shared news of the new batch on Instagram -
The most sensational taste in the world... That jam.
It had been about three years since her last jar...
Next on the list: chilli jam to finally finish Friday's list. Because all of the cutting is by hand, and because I am still a little allergic, I can only process 500g of chillies at a time. In total, and with the onions, it's 1kg of fine chopping and then careful watching because the only additional liquid in this jam is lemon juice.
Two of this batch are for a Christmas wish: local's brother. It's all he wants...
On the list ahead of this Saturday's Christmas themed market: Scottish shortbread and cheesy biscuits. Let's see how over ambitious I am this week.
Oh, and this Sunday won't entirely be mine, either as I have an order... More of that, anon..
Until next time, be well
Fiona
The Sandbag House
McGregor, South Africa
Photo: Selma
Post script
If this post might seem familiar, it's because I'm doing two things:
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Original artwork:
