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Well it's plum season here in NZ and while foraging along the local river I have found two huge areas of wild plum trees, so far i have gathered over 60kg without even making a dent, and next month our local group Food for thought is hosting a talk on foraging, i am hoping to alert NZ's to the idea of gathering from natures pantry.

wow- 60kgs- what are you doing with them? what sort of plums are they? we have many of the little yellow ones which turn a lovely pink red- but they aren't much on taste so I have bothered with them except when I wander with the children...

Mmmmmm yummmmm happy eating folks!

Well we have sold alot at the farmers market but where also turning what's left plus some more yet to gethered into plum jam and plum sauce, so far they've all been small ones but I have found a couple of larger varieties including green gage.

got to have a go at plum wine!

Oooh I should go have a wee looksie, I love plums!

I should imagine NZ is a fabulous place to forage, it seems so pure and unpolluted that I bet there is loads to collect out there in the wilderness.

This is an amazing recipe given to me by a friend. The only problem is that I tend to give away so much that I have to keep making more! Thank goodness there are plenty of plums just lying around at the moment begging to be snaffled up...

Plum and Cardamom Jelly

1.8kg plums (recipe says red, but I have use plums with red skin but yellow flesh and it's delicious)
2 tsp crushed green cardamom pods
600 ml red grape juice
150 ml water
about 1.3 kg sugar (best warmed in a bowl in the oven at 100 for 10 mins before adding - helps it dissolve)

1. Put plums, cardamom pods, grape juice and water in large pan. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
Leave to cool slightly then pour into jelly bag (I just use a large muslin cloth) and suspend over a non-metallic bowl overnight. Resist the urge to squeeze the bag as this will make the end result cloudy.

2. Measure the strained liquid into a pan. Add 450g sugar for every 600ml strained juice.

3. Heat the mixture over low heat stirring constantly until sugar dissolved. Increase heat and boil,without stirring, until jelly reaches 105 degrees or setting point.

4. Remove from heat, skim off any scum, and spoon into warm sterilised jars.

It's delicious!

Sounds good, Janey. And welcome to Ish