Easy Cinnamon Plum Jam

The plums are literally tumbling from the tree and rolling down our slope of a garden,

I just touch some of them and they fall into my palms.

One of the very first things I made with the plums was an Easy Cinnamon Plum Jam, but I have a number of other variations to share too: vanilla, licorice and even star anise!

Plum Bum

I harvested some plums from the garden yesterday.  I picked this splendid specimen that I've dubbed as Plum Bum.  After a little wipe and rub on my top, I ate it - two plums in one.  Delicious. 

I shared a load with our neighbours and in the next few days, I will share some with family and friends.  

For those of you who like looking closely, yes I know it looks like I have four left toes, but I assure you I have five ugly toes, I dislike wearing flip flops, but its the one time my feet get a breathe of fresh air.  

Plum, Plum

Unlike supermarket perfectly plum shaped, ripened and blemish free plums, my plum are blotchy, irregular in shape and varying in shades of ripeness.  I am actually quite surprised that I even got a harvest, as both my apple and pear trees have produced zilch.  When I looked at the plums a few weeks back, I thought they were for the bin (not even the compost bin) as they were not looking good at all, some had gone mouldy, some rot and some had some kind of resin stuck to it. But some fought off the whatever was attacking them and ended up in my kitchen. 

I have made a number of recipes with some of them.  As well as old favourites like the Ginger Plum Crumble, but also some new recipes that I will share later on my blog such as Star Anise Sorbet, Spicy Plum Chutney,

a vegan Plum Cake based on this this Cinnamon Plum Cake, 

but right now, I am sharing these fresh plums with Daphne Dandelions for Harvest Monday.

Soup of the week

Earlier D said to me 'We may not be financially rich, but we are tomato rich!' No kidding. This is just a tray of them: Ailsa craig, golden sunrise, Tigerella and Gardeners delight.
After work, we went over the allotment, primarily to check on the tomatoes in the greenhouse. A lot of the tomatoes in the greenhouse are now starting to rot, but saying that we did still manage to harvest about 4 kilos.

Early this weekend we had already harvested about 2 kilos. So D had decided to make another batch of tomato soup mixing yellow tomatoes with red ones. It was a brownish colour at first, but as the days have gone by the colour of the soup had deepened. That is one full jug of soup, should be a pot really, but this was the only way we were able to fit it into a really full fridge. I have had this soup everyday for lunch. I think there is a bowlful left, I wonder if it's going to be my lunch or his tomorrow?

Whilst D picked the tomatoes, I paid a quick visit over to plot 11, as I was walking back, I bumped into Fitzy. He asked me would I like some more plums as they were literally dropping of his tree. Of course, I said 'yes', but in return I asked would he like some tomatoes, as we are pretty much drowning in them. He smiled and said 'how can I refuse such a beautiful offer'. Fitzy is such a charmer. So in exchange for some plums, we shared half of the tomatoes with Fitzy and gave about 500g to our elderly neighbour Nessie who has been loving them and accused us of spoiling her. That makes both me and D smile inside and outside.

Anyway, here I am now at home looking at the about 2 kilos tomatoes and about 3 kilos of plums, scratching my noggin and wondering what to do with them next: maybe some sauce with the tomatoes; and chutney and jam this time with the plums - or should it be more sweet delights. Mmmm let me think about it.