JPG Magazine: MsB

Thursday, June 07, 2007

I have a tree full of these lovely apricots


Does anyone have any good recipies? Or know how to make jam? Or want to come over and pick some?

One of my many jobs I had in my life was cordinating a gleaning project through a low income grant. My gleaners were usually guys from the county jail doing restitution for drunk driving offenses. I would pick them up at the jail and haul them around from place to place to pick fruits and vegetables the growers didn't have time to deal with. Usually it was plums that if they didn't get picked they would make a big mess on the ground that the property owners didn't like cleaning up. Usually underwatered trees that produced poor quality fruit.

Once in a while we would get a great peach tree or apricot tree. Then it was fun. Hard work but fun. We would take the good fruit and vegetables to people who were low income, mostly senors. It was great when we could bring them something really tasty. Really a great job making people happy. And my fruit pickers were always happy just to get out of jail for awhile.

But poverty programs don't pay very well and I moved on to trying to make spoiled rich women happy with the way they looked. but thats another blog

4 comments:

someone said...

Okay... here's the jam deal: Take ripe but firm apricots and dip them in boiling water for about 10 seconds, then plunge into ice water. (You don't have to do them one at a time, but not more than maybe 5 at once, and use a slotted spoon-thing to get them out and into the ice quickly.) This process will release the skin without cooking the apricot. Once cooled, you can slip the skins off, then remove the seeds. Don't worry about keeping them whole or messing them up. (They should be whole in the water tho....)

Then, grind up the fruit and use with any freezer jam recipe. Go to like Bi-mart in the canning section and look for freezer jam stuff. Ask some old lady. They always know. It is so easy, and really fresh tasting, always. Use plenty of pectin.

Anonymous said...

asking a senior by the canning or the fruit is always what I do. "someone" above is right -- they always do know. I've yet to be steered wrong and each one has also been quite pleased to help me.
I would come pick if I was closer.
I'd love to meet you for one thing!
Peace,
Scout

someone said...

oh, that's right. We're old ladies....

msb said...

one of my own replies disappeared.Ghosts. Something about thanks for the comments and your both welcome anytime at my place. Old? hard to fathom but I believe you are right Judy, and next month I'll be elegable for the senior discount. Yikes :+O