Today I made the first batch of jam in my new kitchen. The lovely big centre ring on my new cooker was perfect to take my big jam pan — and I could still have cooked something on the outer rings if I had needed to!
I made a batch of my ever-popular Damson Jam.
I have two damson trees in my garden which are a bit erratic in their fruiting habits — a late frost often coincides with their flowering time. Last year I got a bumper crop, but this year I have only a handful of fruit. Luckily I also know of a wild damson tree so I can usually forage plenty of damsons when my own crop is sparse.
Damsons aren’t quite ripe locally yet, so today’s jam was made with fruit from the freezer — a mixture of both wild and garden fruit from last year.
Skimming out the stones from the damsons as they cook is a tedious job — I never guarantee to get them all but I usually get most of them. The occasional stone makes its way into a jar of jam — but some people think it helps the flavour!
Wild Damson Tree 
Frozen Fruit 
Starting to skim the stones 
Nearly there 
Is it set yet? 
Lovely! 
