Jim2's Edible Backyard

Joined: 14/04/10 Updated: 14/04/10 Frost:
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About My Edible Backyard

Why Jim2 Love's Edible Plants

Retired, geriatric gypsy returned home to western outskirts of Brisbane. Red volcanic soil changing to poor clay-base @ lower end of 1Ha block. Have been "Putting back the forest" for 35 years. Disasterous vegetable garden(pest smorgasbord). 3 Brown/She-pines approaching fruiting, hence interest in jam.

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Podocarpus elatus

Jim2's Edible Fruits
Update: 5125 days 22hrs

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Jim2 says... [5125 days 22hrs ago]

Jim2 says... [5125 days 22hrs ago]

Podocarpus elatus (Illawarra plum) “Recipe“. Having had no success in finding a recipe for the “fruit” of this tree an attempt was made using the basic Plum Jam recipe from the PWMU Cookbook I used in my bachelor days (had to be simple). The instruction said to “boil the fruit until soft.” 2 Kg of fruit was boiled in a stainless steel pan, after painstakingly taking off the small “seed” section of each doublet. After having boiled for some time, the fruit was showing no signs of softening, still appearing very full and firm. So it was let cool and then given a good softening in the blender, after which it was re-boiled. The instruction said to “pre-warm the sugar.” The sugar (2 Kg) was added slowly , (un-warmed) whilst continuously stirred in. She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed suggested that lemon juice should be added. A lemon was juiced and the juice added to the boiling mixture. A 50 g packet of Fowlers Jamsetta was added for good measure. After about 1 hour of fairly vigorous boiling the concoction was poured into sterilised recycled Vegemite jars and sealed. By morning it was evident that the brew had not the slightest intention of setting so it was re-named “Brown Pine sauce/Illawarra Plum Sauce” . A visit to our local library produced the book “Tukka”, by Jean-Paul Bruneteau who warned, “do not attempt any standard jam recipes”. (Failure) “use a copper or stainless steel pan, never aluminium, nor should aluminium utensils be used, or the jam will develop an unpalatable metallic taste.” (Passed that one). unless “ you are prepared to ‘olive pip’ the resinous core traversing the plum” . . . . . . “ the intended jam will turn out a dark, syrupy, sickly brew with hard shrunken plums sitting on the bottom of the copper pan. The failed jam will be astringent and will leave a lingering metallic flavour on the palate.” (Another failure?) The food blender put paid to removal of the resinous vein this time, but the fruit seemed evenly dispersed throughout , not on the bottom. Despite the dire warnings, the resultant syrup; (a) (In my opinion), had a pleasant spicy flavour when spread onto bread , (But be aware of the fact that I like parsnip, broccoli and Brussels sprouts ! ) (b) did not cause nausea, diarrhoea, or entero-toxic trauma. I envisage its use as a piquant sauce on barbequed meat or root-vegetables, or as a constituent of marinades. As the saying goes, “head bloodied, but un-bowed.” Tomorrow, I try again for the elusive jam, lucky that there is no shortage of plums.

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