July
2007
Jammin’
Why yes, I’ve been lazy ..again. Blogistically speaking. Because otherwise I’ve been one busy punk rockin’ Bucharest visitin’ pacient consultin’ hospitality clubbin’ jam makin’ gobelin sewin’ goddess.
I’ll start with the jam part, since the pictures are already uploaded. I’m not a big dulceata eater, but the rest of the family is, and since my mom’s concoction was more of a fruit flavored block of sugar, something had to be done. Therefore, last year I made my first batch of raspberry jam. Huge success, odes and praises followed. So this year, apricots, blueberries and the familiar raspberries were sacrificed on the altar of my culinary prowess.
Ahem. Ladies and cooking gentlemen, I give you …
.. The Apricot Jam!
We started by picking the apricots from the big tree in my mom’s garden - Robi shook it and I gathered the fallen fruits. We washed them,sliced them in half and took out the seeds.
Then we bought the sugar (1/2 kilograms for every kg of fruits) and the jellifier ( 100% fruit pectin - no additives for us). And then I put it all on the floor and decided I should document the process for posterity. And great justice.
The jellifier was mixed with 2 tablespoons of sugar / package …
…and poured on the unsuspecting apricots…
…who were then placed on fire, their fleshy mortal coils exulting sweet smells all over the kitchen while they were brought to boil .
The rest of the sugar was added…
…and their apricoty ectoplasms watched me in horror as I stirred them like a low-level demon would stir a pot of damned souls on his first day of work, until they got boiling again.
All the available jars were unlidded and placed in a Conga line…
…then filled with the hot stuff…
… then placed on their lids to cool.
The jam should last for two years. We’ll never know if it’s true though, since my dear locusts will probably raid the last jar in less than a year. Good thing that by that time the apricots will be ripe again, eh?
You know, making jam in your kitchen sounds a lot more exciting…entertaining…scary (if you’re the poor, being boiled-alive apricots) than it ever does in my kitchen. I’ll have to be more creative this year!
What can I say, the veggie inquisitor had to live up to her name …
Aahhhh, the zacusca from last year. Which I had every great intention of making until the typhoon came through and wiped out abundance of zacusca-ingredients from the farmer’s market. And now this year I’m in the midst of moving (groan - tomorrow’s the big day, and I’m still packing…except for times like now when I’m taking a break to check in here!), so no zacusca cooking and canning happening yet this year either. But I still vow to get to it one day, and spread the inquisition of the veggies to my corner of the globe as well!
Drooling over here. That sounds and looks delicious.
Margie: you’re a brave, brave woman. If you’ll ever get to the point of making the zacusca, tell me to give you the exact quantities.
Raluca: Believe it or not, I was offered a visa to the States in exchange for a batch of those
Vineta! Dorim vineta!
Oh heck no. At least not until I’m back from Maramures and that neck o’woods the husband’s from.(read - Csikszereda)It’s not zacusca time again, is it?