Embracing the bounty of the current season is a delightful food adventure, and this week has gifted us with peaches and plums.
Thankfully, my holiday break from teaching has provided the perfect opportunity to immerse myself in the art of transforming these luscious fruits into delectable treats. The process involves a meticulous routine of washing, deseeding, and thoughtful preparation for their intended recipe destinies.
Our harvest of peaches made it on the menu for our home luncheson, featuring grilled peaches and a peach sorbet that will be served with a Wattleseed Delice cake. Additionally, we crafted a delectable peach and quandong jam, the recipe for which can be found on our website, inviting others to savor the essence of summer in each jar.
The plum surprise unfolded when I received a message from a an older lady in town, a connection forged through the CWA. She generously offered an abundance of warrigal greens, a gift I was originally collecting for repotting and sharing with friends. To my astonishment, she mentioned a neglected plum tree in her backyard, heavy with ripe fruit. Gratefully accepting this unexpected windfall, I brought home three bags of plums and embarked on the task of transforming them into 3 different preserves..
Two of the bags were meticulously poached and preserved, resulting in two large jars of plums infused with flavors of cinnamon and star anise. The remaining bag was transformed into two batches of plum chutney and one batch of velvety plum jam. The kitchen became a hub of creativity as I reveled in the process of bringing out the best in these seasonal treasures.
As we prepare for three upcoming events, the leftover plums will find their way into our menus, underscoring the importance of aligning our recipe creations with the bounties of each season. This experience serves as a reminder of the joy and satisfaction derived from understanding and utilizing seasonal ingredients in our home kitchens.
For those seeking more culinary inspiration and easy-to-follow recipes, I highly recommend exploring the treasures within the CWA book. Its brilliance lies in the simplicity and authenticity of its recipes, a testament to the rich tapestry of flavors waiting to be discovered in every season.
