As we accept the end of summer, we also bid farewell to the stone fruit season. This is the perfect time to put on your kitchen apron and make the most of the last fruits by stocking up your pantry for the upcoming winter months.
Some people may think that making jams and preserves is a complicated and time-consuming task meant only for expert chefs or experienced countryside cooks.
However, the truth is that preserving fruits is actually quite simple, creatively fulfilling, and can be done in any kitchen with just a stove top.
The satisfaction of seeing your pantry shelves filled with neatly bottled fruits of your labour is almost as delightful as surprising your loved ones with a delicious midwinter cobbler made with the succulent peaches you preserved yourself.
Stone fruits, such as plums, nectarines, and peaches, are perfect for creating a wide variety of jams, conserves, condiments and sweet and savoury sauces that capture their delightful flavours and juicy sweetness.
Plums, with their vibrant colours and unique sweet-and-tart flavour, are especially versatile and pair well with a variety of herbs and spices.
Whether it’s a smooth plum jam, a fruity plum conserve, or using them as hero ingredients in Asian-style dipping sauces and sticky barbecue sauces, these fruits can truly enhance the flavours in your pantry.
Nectarines and peaches are also popular choices for making jams, conserves, compotes, syrups, atchars and chutneys, offering a range of sweet and savoury options for your winter meals.
Set yourself up for success
Getting ready to preserve stone fruits is easier than you might think, and you probably already have most of the equipment you need in your kitchen. Here’s what you'll need: a large pot or saucepan, preferably heavy-bottomed, to cook the fruits.
You’ll also want to have some essential utensils on hand, such as a large, long-handled spoon for skimming foam off the top of the bubbling jam, a wooden spoon for stirring, and a spatula, ladle, and funnel for filling the jars.
When it comes to storing your preserves, airtight glass jars and bottles with perfectly sealed and fitting lids are ideal. You can find these locally from French glassmaker La Parfait.
Sterilising your jars and bottles may sound like a complicated process, but it’s actually quite simple. Just wash them well in warm, soapy water, rinse them in clean, hot water, and let them air-dry on a clean dish rack.
You can easily do this in just a few minutes while your preserve is gently boiling on the stove.
Inspiration for your stone fruit pantry essentials
To get you started, Juicy Delicious has a collection of stone fruit preserve recipes created by chef and cookbook author Karen Hart that cooks, from beginner to expert levels, will enjoy:
Peach Atchar: Yellow cling peaches are combined with onions, garlic, chillies and spices for a truly South African “flavour bomb” sensation that will elevate your warming winter curries.n
Nectarine Jam with a Hint of Ginger: This easy-to-make jam offers a burst of summer flavour to brighten the long winter months. It’s an elegant topping for high-tea scones but every bit as delicious on a piece of buttered toast with your morning coffee.
Spicy Plum Marinade: With perfectly balanced sweet and acid notes, this combination of plums, garlic and a special blend of spices will add depth and flavour to your winter roasts, braais and slow cooker dishes.