Frankly my growing days here are finished. Haddock's is no longer viable, and will be planted with extra Peach trees (if I can find some at this season). Most of the other fruit trees bare fruit after we return to Blighty.
However, there is one fruit that never fails us during our three month stay, and that is these small red Plums (above), that some call 'Bird Plums'. They are always plentiful, and always bug-free. There are THOUSANDS of them; we have three very large trees.
Lady Magnon makes her infamous 'Mumsy's Plum Pip Jam' with them, which we take back to Brighton. It is so-called because she leaves the pips in the jam. We don't find this a problem as we enjoy counting the pips in the traditional 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor...... etc' fashion, as we did as children.
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As for me, I'm determined, this year, to make a form of Umeboshi, Japanese-style, salted Plums. I have no idea if it will work, but I will give it my best.
The plums will be salted for about a week, then washed, and dried in the sun for 3 or 4 days until they shrivel. I am a big fan of Umeboshi, so if they come anywhere near that taste I shall be very happy. Only time will tell.
Otherwise we shall eat a few of them 'stewed', and grab a few others direct from the trees.
How sad to see the end of Haddock's.
ReplyDeletePat, I wouldn't say "sad". Like so many things in life enjoy whilst they last - and once something becomes a memory, cherish that. Be happy to have had the experience, the chance at all.
DeleteHaving said that, I will miss Haddock's and its seasons and, of course, Cro moaning and groaning when his tomatoes let him down.
U
No more pleasure, but no disappointments either. Now I rely on a good friend and neighbour for my Summer Tomatoes.
DeleteThe pips honestly don't bother you? I think they would drive me crazy!
ReplyDeleteI hate that there won't be any new Haddock's stories.
No they don't bother us at all, in fact they've become very much part of the jam.
DeleteMarvellous!! Our neighbours used to give us big bags of plums. None last year and so far none this year. If we do get plums I shall make plum sauce. Though I'll look up that japanese recipe. I'm always ready to rxperiment
ReplyDeleteFor the Umeboshi, think they need to be a particular small plum. I don't think it would work with a Victoria.
DeleteGood luck with the salted plums. Japanese pickled plums are so wonderful I can understand why you would try. We pickled wild plums in spices and vinegar etc a few years ago and they were a wonderful condiment to eat through the winter months.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the bounty of nature.
ReplyDeleteWe hope to.
DeleteExpanding your orchard is a great idea. Fresh peaches are very tasty. Your plum tree is overflowing with fruit. The Umeboshi sounds interesting but I would be concerned about the salt content, especially if you are trying to control BP.
ReplyDeleteSalt is my greatest vice; I'm not at all a sweet person. The Japanese say that if you consume ONE Umeboshi per day, you will never have need of a doctor.
Delete"Papa Cro's Umazing Umeboshi" Now available in supermarkets everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't that be nice, and I have enough Plums this year to feed the whole of Huddersfield.
DeleteI have found that if you put plums in the frig and forget about them , they shrivel dry and chewy. :)
ReplyDeleteFor some reason , I think leaving the pips in , is to help it set as well . Pectin in them.
DeleteHer jam always sets well, but she does use 'Jam sugar' (with extra pectin).
DeleteWe'll miss all the reports of your latest successes and occasional failures from Haddocks. Hopefully your peach trees will be fruitful. The peaches and nectarines in the supermarkets here could double as cricket balls - they are rock-hard! I have bought a couple of each, but by the time they have ripened, they will probably have gone rotten inside!
ReplyDelete