Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Breakfast Treat

Home, Carlton Alfred Smith
(notice bright copper kettle, but no warm woolen mittens)

I made some of this delicious stuff this week. It's a new
favorite thing here at The Manor, right on par with crisp
apple strudels. It is heavenly on crusty whole grain toast,
with tea, of course, for breakfast. And it’s easy, peasey to
make!

Plum Butter

1 pound fresh plums, sliced
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 t. cinnamon (optional)

Slice fruit, combine with sugar and water, cook
slowly in deep saucepan over low heat for one
hour or until thick and dark. Stir in cinnamon (optional).

Makes about one 8 oz. jar.

32 comments:

  1. I was just going to have cereal, but now I'm going to have to stand over a hot stove for hours. Are you happy? :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Willow... this sounds very tasty, did you peel the plums first or strain after it cooked down?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pappy, I am picturing you now, in your apron, standing over your hot stove...oh, with your straw hat, of course.

    Kim, no, I didn't peel or strain. They pretty much cook down into it. Adds to the easiness. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like this would be lovely spread on a scone with fresh butter...Yum...

    ReplyDelete
  5. yum ... you can also make the same recipe using apples instead. And I picked up Emily Carr's biography at the library yesterday - inspired by your blog. I don't know much about the life of our famous and much loved Canadian painter. love from Nova Scotia S.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It does sound easy, and I love plums, so I'll have to jot this one down--thanks! I know we'd enjoy that with good toast mornings when we're reading the Times!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Willow...sounds like my kind of breakfast...I will try this for sure....such a pretty picture...

    ReplyDelete
  8. For certain I would wander off to paint or to do something totally out of the kitchen during the cooking process - Oh look, what I found on iTunes! And there goes another melted pot and, hello, a house full of vaporized food smoke.

    No, it is best if I drop by for toast and tea.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This sounds delicious! I'm going to make some -- good thing I'm grocery shopping today.

    Reminds me of a beautiful photo that your sister Nancy posted on her blog earlier this year -- a plum with a big bite taken out of it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Susan, I am adding Emily Carr's biography to my library list!

    Bill, come on over, the kettle is on! I almost did that yesterday, BTW, and yes, I was on iTunes, too!

    Modgirl, wasn't that photo of Nancy's amazing?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Indeed, it sounds delicious!
    I'm not a great cook but one of my favorite recipes is peach crumble.
    Lightly stew FRESH peaches.
    Put in over proof dish.

    Make crumble:
    3 oz flour
    2 oz sugar
    1 oz butter
    pinch salt.dash vanilla

    sprinkle on peaches and bake at 375' for 30 min

    As per Willa Cather, I did try with My Antonia but didn't make progress. I must try again.....
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  12. Elizabeth, thank you!! I absolutely love peaches and this recipe looks devine. I'll put peaches on my grocery list this week.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh my! "Louis's" mother used to make plum butter - with the cinnamon! "Louis" hasn't had plum butter in years! Thanks for the reminder!

    In contrast to your heavenly plum butter, over at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo, we have Visions of Hell!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I didn't have plums, but I do have peaches, and couldn't wait...so they are slowly simmering right now. They sure smell good...hope it works with different fruits! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Betsy, it does! I made it a few weeks back with an apricot-plum mix. Heavenly. Let me know how yours turns out.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Okay, I have my plums and I'm ready to start simmering. Do you bring the mixture to a boil and then simply simmer? Lid on or off?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Modgirl, yes, bring to a boil and simmer on very low for about an hour. Keep an eye on it and when it gets thick and dark, it's done! :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm back to say that the peach turned out wonderful...I need some biscuits or toast or something...but it is heavenly just on a spoon at the moment! :)
    This would be great on icecream, too! Thanks, Willow, for an unexpected treat today!

    ReplyDelete
  19. You are welcome! Now I want to try the peach...

    ReplyDelete
  20. I've found so many wonderful things on your blog! I'm adding you to my favorites list!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Plum butter? Make that a must on my dining table!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thank you, Pamela, I'm honored! Oh, and Edward, too. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Sounds good! I've had this before...very "tangy". My mother and grand-mother use to make apple butter....I think that was my favorite.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Yummy! Btw my gran was a big fan of Bryn Terfel

    ReplyDelete
  25. Sounds delicious!

    I do love copper and have many pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  26. It sounds as if you have inspired lots of home cooking today! I am imaging many of jars of fruit spread stretching along dozens of kitchen counters.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi there! Back after a while. I love the idea of the plum butter and plums are easy to come by here so must try out the recipe. Oh, and great Scott! Have you read any biographies about Scott of the Antartic. I finished an excellent one about Scott and Amundsen. Scott was, according to the book, the biggest press hoax in history. He was a poor leader, made foolish egocentric decisions and his 'heroic' death and that of his companions could have been avoided. What do you think?
    And I love My Antonia. Read it in North Dakota 35 years ago and could just identify with her as I struggle to survive that winter, although not in a log cabin. Also like other Willa Cather novels.
    The ballet last week was just lovely. A sweet Giselle and a suitably frigid Queen of the Willis. Wish we could really chat face to face, Willow! One day....... Love Eleanor

    ReplyDelete
  28. Eleanor! Welcome back! I'll pop over to Thatchwick for a visit...

    ReplyDelete
  29. Pat, it's the bright copper kettle without the warm wollen mittens! ;)

    ReplyDelete

Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)