Prime Plum Jam

My absolute favorite plum is the Santa Rosa variety. The sweet red-fleshed fruit is balanced by a tart purple skin that makes for a delicious combination!
Every year I look forward to the plum harvest. However, last year I was so caught up with finals week that I completely missed a plum tree right down the block from me. By the time I found it, hundreds of plums lay rotten on the street. I vowed to return the following season and ask the tenants for permission to make use of these delectable fruit.

On a walk with my dog the other day we rounded the corner and I saw we were just days away from a full-on flush of perfect ripe plums. I knocked on the door and asked politely and low and behold, the owner (Sven) told me to "pick as many plums as you want!"
You don't have to tell me twice for the message to get across!
I returned with my dog, a picker, and my friends Nick and Kate and we picked two bags full.

Afterwards we set to work cooking down some plum jam. My grandfather made jam from his Santa Rosa plums every year. Now when I cook the recipe I am reminded of him and the flavor brings me back to being a kid.

Well, I just spied a wild grape vine while bass fishing at the creek. Though the grapes are not near ripe, I have plans for the leaves. I will keep you posted.
Keep the old ways alive!