Never Pass Up Free Food

Day 314: After my dad died, my mother and I were plunged into abject poverty, and there were many days when I was grateful to have a bowl of oatmeal at dinnertime, the only food I'd seen all day. Special occasions might have seen a grilled-cheese sandwich made with process cheese on my plate, a real treat for an 11-year old who was so thin she'd have to stand twice to cast a shadow. That said, our acreage had fruit trees and berry vines, and although sugar was too costly to expend in canning, my mom often froze the harvest. I can hear her voice even now, offering words which still guide me today: "Never pass up free food."

Kevin showed up on my doorstep last night with a bag of plums, presenting me with an internal debate. Did I want to make plum butter or jam? Did I want to freeze them? Or did I want to can them as an alternate to the figs I'd missed out on? I already have a cupboard full of various jams, jellies and preserves and don't need more, so that option was rejected. They'd need to be treated with an anti-browning agent for freezing, and a check of my canning supplies told me I was out of FruitFresh (lemon juice is not recommended for plums because it alters the flavour). That left me with canning. Okay, I'm good with that.

I let Kevin know that I'd put up three pints, and he asked, "Do you want more?" Yes! This morning, he dropped off another bag which yielded up two more pints. It seems like a lot of work for only five pints of fruit, but this winter, I know I will relish every last bite.