Backyard Jelly
Aug. 17th, 2005 06:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beetigerThe firecat and the moth have disappeared off to the park or something, so I've got a little time to myself.
I'm making Backyard Jelly. It's been a few years since I've done this sort of thing; hopefully I remember how. Boiling away in a little pot now are about 10 of the first windfall apples of the season, from the two big trees in the yard. They're cruddy and a little underripe, and I assume and hope full of pectiny goodness. On top of them are about 6 little red, fiery hot peppers, the ones that tricked the baby last week when he picked one off the plant in the flower bed, thinking it was a cherry. On top of those, reckless big handfulls of the volunteer mint that we've given into in the other flower bed. We only plant tulips and daffodils there now, nothing for later in the season. Then just enough water to cover but not float the apples.
In a little while, I'll strain it and put it aside, and if the little guy actually goes to bed tonight, I'll boil it down some more and add some sugar and stir stir stir and hope that it jells. There's only going to be a little bit this batch, not enough to can probably, just enough to put in the fridge and serve on crackers with cream cheese, mostly to myself because it's too spicy for anyone else.
And once I've eaten it, I'll know for sure that it's August, and the world is still alive.
I'm making Backyard Jelly. It's been a few years since I've done this sort of thing; hopefully I remember how. Boiling away in a little pot now are about 10 of the first windfall apples of the season, from the two big trees in the yard. They're cruddy and a little underripe, and I assume and hope full of pectiny goodness. On top of them are about 6 little red, fiery hot peppers, the ones that tricked the baby last week when he picked one off the plant in the flower bed, thinking it was a cherry. On top of those, reckless big handfulls of the volunteer mint that we've given into in the other flower bed. We only plant tulips and daffodils there now, nothing for later in the season. Then just enough water to cover but not float the apples.
In a little while, I'll strain it and put it aside, and if the little guy actually goes to bed tonight, I'll boil it down some more and add some sugar and stir stir stir and hope that it jells. There's only going to be a little bit this batch, not enough to can probably, just enough to put in the fridge and serve on crackers with cream cheese, mostly to myself because it's too spicy for anyone else.
And once I've eaten it, I'll know for sure that it's August, and the world is still alive.
