This is just to say... Plum Chia Seed Jam!
Have you ever had a scent overwhelm you with memories? The other day we had the pleasure of harvesting plums and apples from a friends house. While we stood under the plum tree picking it's beautiful fruit, we squished the overly ripe plums on the ground. As the scent rose up I was immediately taken back to my days as a little girl standing under the plum tree in my back yard. Oh, the smell of plum is so sweet! I remember picking countless ripe plums and as I bit into it allowing the juice to run down my hand and arm like a melting ice cream cone. It was a wonderful memory!
As we were picking I could not help but dream of all the different ways I could enjoy these plums. There are few things as delicious as a freshly picked and perfectly ripe plum. I believe one of my favorite poems speaks to it far better than I ever could!
This Is Just To Say
William Carlos Williams
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
With this harvest of plums, we decided to, of course ,leave some to be enjoyed as they are, we would freeze some for an apple and plum crumble to be made on a later date, and lastly we would make jam!
Now jam is one of those things that I struggle with. I don't like adding sugar or most forms of store bought pectin. I don't have time or the tools to properly can the jam and I, sadly, don't have a grandma close by to teach me the jam making ways. So, when I came across chia seed jam I was excited! We love chia seed jam in all its varied forms: mixed berry, apricot, strawberry, peach and now plum to name a few!
The beauty of any chia seed jam is how simple it is to make.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Fresh Plum- pits removed
1 Tbs Water
1-2 Tbs Honey (depending on how sweet your fruit is)
1 Tbs Chia Seeds
Optional:
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Vanilla Bean Pod
Instructions:
1. After rinsing and removing the pits from the plums, place them in a pot. 2. Add water. If you are using cinnamon and/or vanilla, add them now as well. Bring the
contents of the pot to a gentle boil.
3. Once your fruit is soft, turn off the heat, pull out cinnamon and vanilla, and stir in the
honey.
3. With an emersion blender puree the fruit. You can choose how much you blend depending
on how chunky or smooth you like your jam.
4. Add in chia seeds. Stir well. Allow mixture to sit for a few minutes. Stir again.
5. Place in your preferred jar or container and refrigerate.
6. Enjoy! Unlike store bought jam this will only last about a week in the fridge, but you can
freeze any extra jars you have and simply allow to thaw to enjoy later.
Now this jam can be made with any number of fruits so check around your local community to see if anyone needs you to help them with their over abundance of fruit! Then you too can enjoy the end of summer harvest as well!
