I mean, that's relative. Of course. But generally, mousses, soufflés, terrines and pâtés and torchons of foie gras (well, once), daubes, stews, casseroles, moles (the dish not the animal), roasts, confits, cassoulets, consommés, sauces, crusts and bread, jellies and syllabubs, ice creams, tartes tatins, and crême brulée, are to me as intimidating as breathing (although more concentration is required...), and a lot better tasting.
But jam. This year has taught me about jam. I have made jam before, but for the first time I started early in the season and have been jam making solidly as the next fruits ripen. So I now know what I had forgotten: that the best teacher is repetition. Don't fret if your first and second and third roast chickens are not quite right. The next one may be. You will learn every time you make one, what works, what doesn't, what it looks like, smells like, sounds like. Cooking is as much about listening as it is about watching and tasting. And shopping, and choosing.
Today I made plum jam, my first, and it is very pretty. I haven't tasted it yet, but I will for breakfast tomorrow. But this, the fifth batch of jam this summer, is really the first time I felt quite comfortable with the process, and not overly anxious. I recognized signs and waited and relaxed, but not too much, and knew when it sounded right, beyond the hallowed two drips that must form on the side of a spoon before it is ready.
Plums rinsing...
Sugar syrup after fruit is covered overnight with organic sugar...
What I now call First Foam and Second Foam...to be skimmed.
Sticky spoons.
Jam lined up and tomatoes in the background for gazpacho, and, as it turned out, a tomatini.
66, lovely.
ReplyDeletei have gone down a few of the same roads you have, with respect to food. there is a paula wolfert anecdote that i replay -- not just because it's about how to make bastilla correctly (which is fascinating), but because between the lines, it's about how to live life fully -- because it's just perfect.
my jam story: strawberry guavas harvested off the wild fern forest floor on the big island with my dear friend when slightly, erm ... high. back at the coffee shack we made jam with peppercorns and with butter (mistake but mmmmmmm); and generally learned what not to do when canning but oh! was it tasty.
have an amazing breakfast in the morning!
prs
It is indeed a long sentence. But so is the story it tells. And far from over. :-)
ReplyDeleteNow Pritha, that sounds like a story. Are you in Hawaii?? Ferns, strawberry guavas (in South Africa we call them cherry guavas...)...wow.
ReplyDeleteYes, lots to learn VINCENT! Hey, can go back to calling you by your name! No more subterfuge! My goodness! Is that a fish you are holding???? :-) No, it's holding you, I forgot...hey, do you want a new photo up on the blog? We have so many choices now.
LOL, this is an orgy of codewords revealed. ;-)
ReplyDeleteUm, pardon my interruption, but I was wondering how many lbs of plums you bought to yield the jam?
ReplyDeleteMs Hound:
ReplyDelete6 pounds, my dear. And a quarter pound of sugar per pound of fruit, plus juice of two limes near the end. If you use pectin you can use less suagr and it also cooks for less time.
I live in Brooklyn, Marie. None of those guavas here. Lots of waterbugs tho' that my cat is afraid of. Doesn't seem an equitable trade-off, right?
ReplyDeleteWas just on skype earlier today with my on-again/off-again in Delhi and he was teasing me about what's in season in the markets there. And reminding me that he couldn't care less, as he's a fruit hater.
unfairness, all around.
prs
Pritha - Brooklyn!
ReplyDeleteSo where was the big island?
Your cat and my cat should team up against waterbugs.
My cat needs to get schooled by Estorbo!
ReplyDeleteThe last time I was on the Big Island was three years ago. The jam happening took place in 1997.
prs