Tuesday 8 August 2017

Purple Plums,Yellow Jam and Orange Marmalade

As well as the cherry plum tree we found growing in the hedge boundary at the bottom of the garden we also have a couple of old smallish damson type plum trees on the other boundary. One had several fruit on it, and some had already been eaten by birds, so a week ago while I held the ladder  Col climbed up and picked all the fruit he could reach.
It was just a couple of lb and made 2 jars of lovely coloured jam, which set well, rather TOO well. There was a little bit that wouldn't fit in the jars and Col had it in a sandwich - he said it was rather solid - whoops!
Better than too runny I guess.

A couple of weeks ago I made two batches of Marrow and Ginger Jam using two courgettes that had turned into marrows overnight! This used up over half a jar of crystallized stem  ginger  in syrup that had travelled from the smallholding to Ipswich and from Ipswich to here. Marrow and ginger jam is the other extreme and doesn't set well so needs using up quickly.

Yesterday I used the last of the jar of stem ginger to make Orange and Ginger Marmalade - using a tin of the ready prepared oranges. It's delicious and has completely changed the canned Mamade into something much more interesting and something else for our sisters hampers.

Thanks for all the comments.For the moment  I've set comments so that I see them first before publishing as there were multiple silly junk ones popping up everyday.

Back Shortly
Sue

30 comments:

  1. I am also finding this year that my plum jam is fine when testing but sets more than usual when set.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We make a budget 'marmalade' using marrows or courgettes. It's made by shredding (grating) the marrow (which if you want can be pre-soaked in sugar to give a firmer texture like citrus peel), adding lemon juice & peel (to add flavour & help the set) & sometimes ginger, and cooking it until it is quite dark.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds a bit different. I tried a recipe called Marrow Curd last year which was supposed to be a bit like lemon curd but it was really nasty!

      Delete
  3. I've had a few strange comments too. I'm buying some MaMade soon and I'm going to do half with ginger and half without. Damson jam is lovely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just two jars of damson made but a lovely colour

      Delete
  4. Oh I am SO glad that you make marrow and ginger jam! I remember this from my childhood, my Mum used to make it, and I always loved it. But no one else in the world ever seems to have heard of it and am sure that most people think I am making such a sort of jam up, but I now know I am not! Hope you enjoy eating yours a lot!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's something I've always made especially way back when we had no fruit of our own and no money

      Delete
  5. I'm glad I'm not the only one who uses Mamade for Marmalade making (can't be bothered to do all that finicky slicing). Preserved ginger is used a lot here (Keith loves it) and stewed rhubarb is nothing without it, he tell me! Have you tried the Mamade with a small tipple of Whisky in it?

    Strangely enough, I was looking at the recipe for Marrow and Ginger jam only last night, in Sara Paston-Williams Preserves book, when I was typing up the recipe for the Hedgepick Jam!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I can't see the point of all that cutting if someone has done it for me already! I tried orange with whisky last year and also the lemon one with grapefruit - that was really good

      Delete
  6. All looks wonderful. I have just used Mamade for the first time on your recommendation and 7 lovely jars of sunshine. I will still make Seville in the winter but this was so easy and tastes good. Thankyou.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've now tried - Orange with whiskey, orange with ginger and the lemon tin with grapefruit. They all make the plain sort much more interesting

      Delete
  7. My hubby loves Damson jam, or as our eldest daughter always called it Tarzan Jam!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope my jars don't go swinging through trees!!

      Delete
  8. omg I love stem ginger! yummy

    ReplyDelete
  9. Orange and ginger marmalade...oh my I bet that is delicious-x-

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have used MarMade in the past but was always a little worried to add anything else to it. Don't do it now as little space in the motorhome, and it is only me that eats it. I do make jam (well jelly) but in small batches. Already made 2 jars of bramble jelly but it has not stopped raining long enough on our days off for me to collect any more berries.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I came across the variation recipes in a WI preserves cookery book so thought they must be OK!

      Delete
  11. Hello Sue, I am newcomer to your blog and stopped in from Jenn's Coffee on the Porch blog as I enjoy reading blogs new to me and learning about what other folks enjoy. While I enjoy jams, I admit to never having made any myself. We used to have a large veggie area when we lived in VA, but now living in an apt in NH we rely on store bought or farmers markets for fresh foods. Feel free to drop in for a visit to our blog anytime. I understand how comments can get filled with junk and self-advertising as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,welcome and thank you for reading. I shall pop over and visit your blog

      Delete
  12. I didn't realise that Marmade still existed. I'm going to try your idea of Marmade and Ginger. I've always avoided jams with Ginger in them thinking I didn't like them. A friend gave me Rhubarb and Ginger Jam earlier this year so I had to try it and it was delicious!
    I'm now making some myself. I think that in the past the jams I had were made with powdered ginger, stem Ginger will be a subtler taste. Thanks for the idea. Sue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The orange tinned mamade is in most supermarkets but the lemon tinned I've only found in Lakeland. Easier than chopping seville oranges!

      Delete
  13. Rhubarb and ginger jam is my favourite!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We had too much rhubarb jam years ago when it was the only thing we had growing - put me off for ever!

      Delete
  14. I made too much jam last year so this year I think I will either just freeze, can or dehydrate any fruit I get.

    Your jams look lovely.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I may have made too much already although they are good for gifting to bring and buy sales and the like

      Delete
  15. I love the Orange and Lemon Mamades and use them both regularly to add to home grown produce. Like you I also make Marrow and Ginger jam .... well you have to find uses for all those courgettes that decide to turn into marrows when your back is turned don't you.

    It seems there is a new generation of spammers out there that take a line or two from your post and turn it into a comment, then they add a link to their porn or medicinal site ... not good and it's very time consuming to weed them out from regular commenters, it's driving me mad ☹

    ReplyDelete
  16. Marmalades and jam are delicious. I made some jam this summer....maybe some peach jam. Takes awhile to make but delicious for sure! What is a courgette? Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete