Preserving Summer’s Bounty: jams, pickles and chutney

No one loves the abundance of summer more than I do, but I gotta say, sometimes it really kicks me around! When those figs, plums, eggplants and tomatoes are ready to be cooked down, made into marmalade, preserved or pickled, there is no waiting around.

 

I came back from my trek to Campania in the southern part of Italy with a huge sack of lemons to make limoncello, along with a crate of eggplants that I practically got for a song, to my home in Tuscany where the fig tree in the yard is loaded with figs and I haven’t had time to eat them much less preserve them, and I still have plums and peaches in the fridge since before I went away that at this point are only good for jam. See what I mean?

 

So I took a deep breath, cleaned the kitchen and got right into it. I bought some more jars and new lids at the Caccia Pesca (local hunting and tackle shop that also sells household goods) and spent the evening peeling lemons for limoncello, slicing and salting eggplants for pickles, cooking figs for jam and plums, peaches and tomatoes for chutney.

 

 

 

 

 

Ah the abundance of summer! It will be so satisfying to see the rows of jars on the shelf and know that I’ve preserved in time a little of the warmth and joy that is summer.

 

Simple Fruit Jam

• 2 lb fruit, preferably fresh picked or locally stolen
• juice of one lemon
• 1 lb sugar
• 1 wild apple, chopped or grated, skin on

If using plums or anything with a stone, cut the fruit in half and stone it. Otherwise use the whole fruit. Wash it and put it into a large pot along with the lemon juice, apple and sugar. Put it on a medium burner and allow to cook, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Allow the jam to cook at a slow boil, the fruit will give up juice and you must allow it to cook off without letting it burn. Take some of the juice a put it on a small plate, allowing it to cool so you can check the consistency. You want it to be jelled when cool.

Take canning jars and their lids, wash them well and rinse them with hot water. Spoon the jam into the jars, put the lids on tight and allow them to cool by themselves. The seal will form as the jar cools. Line them up on your shelf and enjoy looking at them until it’s time to open and eat them!

Buon Appetito! Gina