Pacific Coast Black Plum Jam

I think I may have a problem.  Hardly anybody is reading this blog, and yet, this is my 4th post in 4 days.

Riding on the wave of excitement I felt from receiving my water bath, I finally put to use some amazing black plums I bought a couple weeks ago by turning them into even more amazing jam. 

I bought them at a road-side stand on the 152 Freeway on my way to San Jose for a work trip...and when I got home and my water bath and other supplies hadn't yet been delivered, my only option was to chop and freeze the plums (I also froze apricots, pluots, and what I *think* are soursops but have no idea) or they would've gone bad.  With plums, one of my favorite things is slicing into them and being surprised by the color of the flesh.  These were beauties!

Happy Little Hearts

Freezing is always an option if you buy too much fruit, or for some reason don't have time to eat or cook your fruit, or just want fresh-frozen fruit for pies or other goodies in the middle of Winter. 

I decided not to leave anything up to chance with this batch--with each endeavor I hold my breath to see if the jam sets--so I used the recipe that comes on the insert of the pectin box (I used Sure-Jell this time)...however, I did cut down on the sugar again.  8 cups just seems like so much, the fruit is so sweet already.  I used 7...God forbid my jam won't last in the jar, that would be sad. The amazing color starts to pop as it's boiling; I took this picture right at the peak of boiling, before I funneled the jam into the jars:

The # of cups this is supposed to make is largely reduced by how many spoonfuls I taste before jarring.

I woke up this morning to gorgeous, perfectly-set Pacific Coast Black Plum Jam!

Ta-DA!

The First Day of Autumn

I invited a few people over last night for the First Day of Autumn.  This was my ruse for getting my unsuspecting friends to taste-test my creations - *palms rubbing together + evil laugh* - and give me some honest feedback.  Ok, well not really.  I only invited the nicest of the nice so that they would then say nice things about what I made in a very nice way even if they didn't really like it.  I'm not ready for honest feedback.

I absolutely love Autumn, and not because it's my name.  The days are still hot, with cool nights and crisp mornings.  The tourists have left the beach, making way for a few extra parking spaces and lots of free sand.  In California, we have the luxury of a longer season for many Summer fruits, and the Fall fruits are also ready to be picked.  The air smells cleaner, and I have an excuse to wear boots!

Fall in Hermosa Beach - kinda looks like Summer!

I created a menu of comfort foods that I love and love to make, and that I could complement with a few of my jams and jellies.  4-bean chili, country-style baked mac-n-cheese, Fall veggie stew, crescent roll brie wrap with apricot jam (needs improvement, which is why it isn't pictured), pumpkin oatmeal cookies (dipped in vanilla ice cream, drizzled with warmed pluot jam), & dinner crackers smeared with cream cheese with a dollop of either banana pepper jelly or jalapeno jelly.

Cracker dressed in soft cream cheese and Grandma Irma's Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

Homemade Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Warmed Pluot Jam

I discovered a few things last night.  1)  I have some amazing friends, albeit only 4 of them.  2)  Any given bank robber is only 2 degrees of separation away (insert laughter here, trust me), and 3)  I love making jam and sharing it with others so much, this blog isn't going away!

Gorgeous Pluot Jam - Love the color!