Sunday 15 September 2013

ready for this jelly?

For weeks the damsons have been tempting me into the orchard to test them for ripeness - but their deep purple colour belies their eye popping sharpness, and each time they have turned my tongue to chalk. 


Then suddenly this week they have relented - finally softening and ripe with deep plummy juice. 


I climb the ladder to pick the abundance of fruit and their perfect bloom rubs off on my fingers. They fall into my bucket with a soft thud-ud - the sound of ripeness as well as the feel and taste.


Portioned up and ready to sell to my colleagues. Every year a small band of afficionados and jam makers wait impatiently for me to deliver the fruit to the staff rooms.


My lack of kitchen means I won't be creating any damson delights this year. But my colleague Sara made damson cheese with some of the fruit, as part of her 'Tudor Tastes' demonstration for our Food Fest. She presented me with this one as a gift to try - it's so beautiful. 


The most intensely flavoured jelly.


Sweet cubes to complement salty cheese, or bake into muffins as tiny flavour bombs.
Just a few more weeks and I will cook again ...
(In the meantime thanks to all our lovely friends who have been feeding us in our hour of need   xxx)

6 comments:

  1. Damsons are stunning looking fruit aren't they? I have never grown them but this report makes me want to and makes me want to make some of that jelly.

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    1. They're good pollinators for other plums and the fruit are wonderful - what's not to love? (Especially if you're a jam/jelly/preserve enthusiast).

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  2. Eh what an amazing colour that damson jelly makes. Gosh looks so delicious. Hope the wait till you get back into the kitchen doesn't take too long

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    1. I've started buying cookery books as bed time reading. Just started week 9 of the kitchen reno - hopefully just 3 weeks to go!

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  3. Now that is yumminess!! Those sweet cubes look divine! I hope your kitchen is up and running soon!!! You inspire!!!

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    1. Thank you for your kind comments! I had some of that damson cheese squished onto a bagel for breakfast the other day - it was delicious.

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