On the Table: Plum, Gewürztraminer, and Vanilla Bean Jam

Yet another recipe from Mes Confitures: a Plum, Gewürztraminer, and Vanilla Bean Jam. Pictured above are the plums in question, an Italian prune-plum purchased at the farmer's market. Those plums are mixed with sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla beans (split lengthwise to release the innards):


Heated over the stove:


Then the Gewürztraminer is added (I used a 2006 Villa Wolf Gewürztraminer), it's all canned, and then it ends up looking something a little bit like this:



Also on the table: a peach, cinnamon, and pinot noir (specifically, Castle Rock's 2006 Mendocino County Pinot Noir).

In the Stash: Catherine's Red Gooseberry Jam

Ordinarily, I don't post about stash additions in this blog, because I wouldn't want to draw attention to the disparity between the (high) rate of stash increase and the (low) rate of project completion. However, this addition to my stash is too cool not to share with the world. Back in July, Ms. Numma Numma did me a huge favor in getting some yarn to me super-fast so I could make the Go Blue! Afghan in time for my dad's surgery. As a token of my appreciation (and as a get-well to Allen for her own surgery), I sent her a jar of my homemade Gooseberry Jam.... and almost by return mail came a skein of Numma Numma Toasty in a new flavor called Catherine's Red Gooseberry Jam! Allen completely nailed the color of the fruit-- its deep reds, pale pinks, and pale greens-- and I am so flattered to be immortalized in one of Allen's delicious yarn names.

Now I just have to think about what to do with this scrumptiousness; my first thought was halcyon, but what would you do with ~475 yards of fabulous fingering-weight yarn? More photos below: