Sweet and Tart Plum Jam

Making jam is not just a hobby for barefoot women in flower print dresses.  When making jam, I’m reminded of Diane Keaton’s character in Baby Boom, leaving the big city to make apple sauce in the country.  Jamming allows us to bring some country into our urban kitchens.  But if I’m gonna make jam, it has to be easy.  I’m not gonna order a bunch of pectin online or take a canning class.

Last week, I took home an overflowing pint of multicolored plums from work because they looked so pretty and I wasn’t thinking of the consequences of having more plums than I could possibly eat in a week.  There’s no better way to preserve a mountain of plums than jamming them.  Since I wasn’t going to learn how to can my jam, I decided to just stick it in the fridge and eat it within a couple of weeks.  This plum jam is sweet and tart, perfect for spreading on toasted bread for breakfast.  I love it on a toasted piece of Nordic Breads’ Finnish Ruis Rye or Bien Cuit’s Campagne Sourdough.



RECIPE

Makes one 12-ounce jar

1 1/2 pounds plums, pitted and halved
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of coarse salt

1.  Throw the plums, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small pot over high heat. Bring it all to a boil, mashing the plums with a potato masher or wooden spoon.

2.  Boil while stirring frequently, until the syrupy plum juice clings to a spoon, falling off slowly in clumps, about 10 to 12 minutes.

3.  Using tongs, pluck the plum skins out of the pot and discard, although you can leave them in if you want them in there.

4.  Let the jam cool for about 2 hours and then scoop it into a mason jar, storing it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

You might also like: Berry Clafouti, Warm Milk Quinoa with Berries and Nuts, Homemade Almond Milk , Weekend Crepes, Matzo Brei, Eggy Popovers

Bottom plum picture from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Plums-farmers-market-seeminglee.jpg