Friday, December 29, 2023

The Grand Medlar Experiment

Day 77: It will be a few days before I can give a complete report on the results of the Grand Medlar Experiment 2023, but indications are that it was at least more successful than my 2021 attempt. This time, I used commercial pectin and Certo's recipe for apple/crabapple jelly, adding a quarter cup of lemon juice to give the pectin a nudge in the right direction. Prior to decanting it into jars for processing in a hot-water bath, I skimmed the foam off the top and placed it in a small bowl. By the time canning was complete, it had cooled sufficiently for me to see that it was going to set, although how firm the jelly will be after a week or two remains to be seen. Some jams and marmalades take up to two weeks to fully set; others soften. In any event, the foam was delicious, licked straight off the spoon, albeit rather sweeter than expected. There is a note of rose in the flavour, a hint of citrus, overall much like a fragrant, light honey. Even if it goes "soupy," it will make an excellent glaze for ham or a pork roast, but I am expecting it to set this time around.

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