Findings of Fall and Spicy Plum Jam

Yesterday started out as one of those total crap days. Sorry to sound like such a downer right off the bat, but I was really feelin’ the bah-humbug all morning.

Drew and I have been irritable with each other for the past couple days. Not arguing, but both in our own place. I haven’t been sleeping very well and yesterday, morning specifically, the sky was as grumpy as I was feeling. The wind was howling and the rain was pouring…. Hmmph. This was really the first blustery fall morning we’ve had since we’ve been in New Zealand. We’ve experienced some interesting weather along the road, but this particular morning I just wasn’t feelin’ it.

Honestly, I’ve really been looking forward to fall here on the South Island. Back in November of last year, when we were getting all packed up, I was so ready to leave Portland and the wet fall weather that was just getting into full swing. We were heading to the southern hemisphere where we could enjoy spring roll into summer. I couldn’t wait! And it was great. But it was also surreal experiencing the drastic change of seasons and scenery.

At first, it was so exciting. Being that we had just wrapped up a full and gorgeous summer in the northwest and were heading into another one, we were about to experience nearly SIX full months of beautiful summer weather! Yes, please, I will have another! However, I was never able to wrap my brain around the holidays that came and passed. My birthday was spent for the very first time laying in the sun and playing in the surf – in the middle of January! As great as that seemed at the time, it has become obvious to Drew and I that we’ve really missed the holiday traditions of home. Now that fall is here in Christchurch and we’re heading into an empty holiday winter season, I’m just not sure how to handle it. There are pumpkins at the market! Apple pie. Cider! But no NFL, Macy’s parades, Christmas carols, or holiday lights in our near future! It’s like a weird dream… I’m beginning to think that the anticipation of this ‘holiday-less’ winter may be contributing to my bah-humbug and keeping me from enjoying the beauty of God’s creation as it prepares itself for winters sleep so naturally and beautifully.

We have the 4^th of July to look forward to, our country’s Independence Day, but there will be no fireworks. No BBQ. No camping or beers at the beach with a handful of our favorite people. …. Yep, the more I contemplated it over that second cup of coffee it became quite evident to me that the anticipation of this ‘holiday-less’ winter (and the missing out on the upcoming traditions of an American summer) is what’s really been bothering me.

So, I forced myself to bundle-up and go for a walk (luckily the rain died back at this point. Otherwise, I surely wouldn't have been brave enough to venture out). As I crankily kicked rocks through the park and sulked by myself, I realized I was really just letting this day slip away and was wasting an opportunity to enjoy something that I love doing most on crabby weather days - Cook! 

I am so blessed right now to have the opportunity to be at home while Drew goes to work everyday. Who knows how long this lifestyle will last, but for now I am absolutely loving having the chance to be home and nest…. I’ve never had the time to do this before. I felt the responsibility and demands of my last job so deeply that I barely had enough energy to make dinner when I got home let alone have any remaining energy to be creative and make our home stylish and more livable. So, I decided to stop sulking, embrace the day, and go home to be creative doing something I love with this time I’ve been given.

As I walked home, I remembered that my new friend Shannon, also a recent transplant from the northwest, had given me a lovely box of plums several months ago during the peak of their season! I had cut them up and stored them in the freezer ‘til I figured out just what I was going to make with them.  Now I know - Spiced Plum Jam! Perfect for such a blustery fall day.  

It sure didn't solve the matters of my heart right right now, but at least for the time being I’m able to embrace where I am and concentrate on these gifts instead – new friends and their generosity, the time God has given me to slow down, nest in my new home, and enjoy every moment of the day, being creative, and making sure I spend at least a little time each day doing something I absolutely love!

Drew had a colleague at work who just moved back to the UK. Before she left she gave me all the spices and baking supplies from her pantry. One of these spices was cardamom. I've always loved cardamom for it's warm, spicy aroma, but rarely use it so I never buy it. However, being that I have an abundance of it on hand right now I thought it would be a good time to experiment by adding it to a simple jam recipe along with some of my other favorite fall flavors! I think the secret to this jam however, is the cracked black pepper. You don't have to add it, but if you're feeling brave go for it!

This jam is delicious, tangy, and rich with the goodness of fall! I will definitely be making more for the cupboard and gifts!... although next time I may try orange instead of lemon for a little added sweet over tart... xo

Enjoy!

Spiced Plum Jam

• 5 cups chopped and pitted plums
• 1 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoons fresh ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (preferably fresh)
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• zest and juice of half a small lemon
• 20-25 cracks of your black pepper mill
• a good size knob of butter

Add the plums and sugar to a medium-sized pot, stirring until the plums begin to break down and release their juices. Bring to a slow boil and let cook for about 20 minutes stirring frequently to be sure the fruit does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Then add the lemon and ginger, continuing to stir with a long handled wooden spoon, breaking up the plums against the side of the pot. Add the butter, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook down until the plum mixture is thick, about another 15 minutes. Add your spices near the end, after about another 10 minutes. After the spices are added, allow to slowly simmer for another 10-20 minutes. 

You'll know your jam is done when it passes the 'wrinkle' test. This can be achieved by placing a small dish in the freezer for a couple minutes. Once chilled, place a dollup of jam on the plate. Slide your finger through the jam. If a path remains where your finger passed through then your jam is ready.

Items of Appreciation

I will admit, it’s a little ridiculous to be snapping pictures and writing a blog post about a bowl, but I was so excited about this gift that I just had to say something! It’s funny the things we come to appreciate. After getting rid of nearly ninety percent of our belongings and moving around the world with only 4 suitcases between Mr. Robinson and myself, then driving the New Zealand countryside for nearly 2 months, sleeping in a converted '94 Toyota Townace (that has an unreliable radio at best) with a man who took up the entire length of the back when he laid down - I can confidently say I have learned A LOT about appreciation (and my space requirements)! 

The other night, Drew surprised me by bringing home this gift for me. It’s the mixing bowl I’ve been eyeballing for the last month. It’s not designer or from a fancy boutique, but it’s what I’ve been wanting… and something that hasn’t been high on the priority list for this currently one-income, trying to establish ourselves in a new country, and a new home kinda budget.  Since we moved into our tiny flat on Gloucester Street I’ve been using empty ice-cream containers as mixing bowls. And anyone who knows me knows just how frustrating that is for me! Not just because I love my kitchen gadgets and I’ve been feeling deprived of the array of kitchen tools I once enjoyed (which I certainly do), but because I have a dairy allergy, which prevents me from helping create these repurposed containers.

For anyone wondering why I don’t just walk on down to my local thrift store and pick up a couple of bowls for cheap, I assure you – I am well acquainted with our local Eco-Shop. Most of the home-wares we currently have either came from a thrift shop, are second hand, or were bought on clearance. Sometimes though we long for things that are exactly what we've been dreaming about and not just something that will suffice for now or because it fits our budget. So we just choose to wait patiently for them. Even though it can be a bit frustrating to wait, I have found that it is always worth it in the end! I waited 28 years to meet my husband, often frustrated by the patience that took, but without a doubt, he was definitely worth waiting for!

I like to think that this move has made Drew and I far more aware of all that we have and what is really important. I like to think that it's motivated us to be more intentional with everything we do in life including the purchases that we make. I think that’s why I am so over-joyed by this gift. My sweet husband knows how much I love to cook and that I would love this bowl, as simple and small a gift as it is. We have been so careful with money lately, I think he knew just how special it would be to me. And quite honestly, he was right. Drew is the sweetest, most thoughtful person I know, and I am truly blessed to be his wife.

As soon as I whipped this gift out of it’s wrapping I wanted to use it! So I took a look in the cupboards to see what we had on hand and this is what I came up with – a simple pearl cous cous salad with fresh herbs from the garden we share with our neighbors and sweet cherry tomatoes from our local farmer’s market. Delish! 

Before I forgot everything I tossed into this bowl for the first time, I thought it would be a good idea to write it down and then I decided to share it. 

Pearl Cous Cous with Fresh Garden Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups pearl cous cous (also known as Israeli cous cous)

2 3/4 cups chicken stock, vege stock, or well seasoned water

100 grams (about 1/2 a cup) black olives (I prefer to use dry cured olives, such as black Moroccan because I find them to have a far deeper, earthy flavor than brined olives like Kalamata, but whatever you have will be just fine) 

250 grams or 1 pint of cherry tomatoes

½ of a small red onion

1 large clove of garlic

110 grams feta cheese (Danish marinated and cubed feta can be found in the deli section at your local market. I cheat and include the oil the cheese marinates in to build on the flavors)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar (approximate)

1/4 cup olive oil (approximate)

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Tblsp chopped fresh mint

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 Tblsp Italian parsley

Tools:

Mixing Bowl

Ramekins

Spatula

Sharp chef knife

Cutting board

How To:

Start by making the cous cous-

Bring water/stock to a boil

Gently stir in the cous cous

Let it simmer for 6 minutes uncovered

Remove from heat, cover, let stand for another ten minutes to finish absorbing the liquid

Fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature

Meanwhile-

Wash the tomatoes and slice them stem end creating thick tomato rings

Chop the olives

Thinly slice the red onion along the rib (I like to slice the onion for recipes like this because otherwise the onion is overpowering and can ‘burn’ your pallet)

Mince the garlic

Finely chop the herbs

Once you have all of your ingredients chopped and measured, mix together everything, but the cous cous in a large mixing bowl. Once the cous cous has cooled to room temperature and all the other ingredients are well tossed add the cous cous to the tomato mixure. Taste and adjust the proportions as necessary to suit your fancy.

Note: This salad keeps well for a couple of days, however the cous cous will continue to absorb the liquid, so you may need to adjust the dressing before serving. It's best served at room temperature.

If you plan to make this in advance, prepare and mix together all ingredients, but the cous cous. Add the cous cous several hours before serving to allow the flavors to marry.

Now Enjoy!