Stomach better, thought I'd make some jam


When I stopped in at the local Food Basics on Sunday morning, I saw that they were stocking Ontario yellow plums. Being a huge advocate for locally-grown produce, I picked up a 2-lb. container of near-ripe ones as my produce selection for the week. My plans to actually get to eat any of them, howeever, were sidetracked when I was fighting back whatever stomach affliction I had, so the three small plums I brought in to work on Monday were still sitting in my desk when I felt my appetite returning today. I ended up eating those with my lunch and can gladly say I was not disappointed. Realizing immediately that I had most of a 2-lb. container of amazingly sweet plums quickly ripening on my kitchen counter, I looked up recipes for plum jam.

The daunting part was that I had never "canned" anything before in my life, and I was simply going to have too much jam to use up (and probably even give away) to not can what I made. Following a quick run out to Canadian Tire for small jam jars, I leaped blindly into the canning experience!

I didn't realize that I would have to handle the jars with non-metal utensils, so I ended up pincering the sterilized jars between two silicone spatulas, which was awkward, but do-able. I also used a 1/2"-high, oval cheese-grater lid as a makeshift canning rack (who knew that you weren't supposed to rest the jars directly inside the pot?). Mental note: if I'm going to do this again, buy a small canning rack and a jar picker-upper (there she goes, making up words again). A funnel might be handy too. :)

I'll know by 9pm tomorrow (stoopid 24-hour resting period) whether or not I was successful in my first canning venture, but I'll take the "popping" noises during processing as a good sign.