billmarsano
Member
Gingerbread Jam (An accidental recipe)
Here’s the story: My wife returned from shopping laden with five pounds(!) of white seedless grapes. She had wanted only two but had been bamboozled by a fast-talking, fast-moving sidewalk vendor and, as the British say, “there you are.” In salads and out of hand we polished off a pound of them, leaving a daunting four pounds to be dealt with. Wife, disgusted at her uncharacteristic weakness, was for 86-ing the lot. I proposed making jelly instead—and did so according to the recipe found here: Homemade Grape Jam - No Pectin. I confess: it was almost the first one I found, and I adopted it for its minimal sugar and zero pectin. Result: Awful. Probably the fault of the grapes, which were Thompson Seedless. That variety is mainly grown for providing the alcohol in cheap hip-flask wines sold out of coolers to winos. Inspiration (or desperation) struck: I remembered a bottle of minced ginger long neglected in the ice box. About 6 oz remained and I chucked ‘em holus bolus into the jam, re-warmed the mess well, and bottled it. I liked it (of course)--but others?
I sent out three samples to neighbors, each bearing the following warning: IMPORTANTE! This is Gingerbread Jam, A new threat from La Cucina di Casa Nostra, For which Bill is solely Responsible. It is meant For Buttered Toast, Grilled Meats or Anything Else to Which you might apply a Gingery Condimento. As this is new and Experimental, Please
taste-test as soon as you dare and report back. No need to be polite, but ixnay on the fisticuffs, OK?
Reports were promising, especially that of Michael, a Kiwi five floors up who is crazy for ginger. In fact, he suggested even more ginger. Accordingly I made a second batch, this time adding a whole bottle (10 oz) of Spice World Minced* Ginger after the grapes had cooked down sufficiently. That is the only change I made to the online recipe save for not breaking the grapes in the pot with a potato masher. I thrashed the hell out of ‘em in the Cuisinart. Result: Bliss for me. And so far as my Kiwi neighbor is concerned, he offered to trade me the deed to Aukland for two jars. Hope you like it as much.
*Minced is surely a misnomer. This is really a purée made w/vinegar and a little fructose. It spreads like ketchup.
end
Here’s the story: My wife returned from shopping laden with five pounds(!) of white seedless grapes. She had wanted only two but had been bamboozled by a fast-talking, fast-moving sidewalk vendor and, as the British say, “there you are.” In salads and out of hand we polished off a pound of them, leaving a daunting four pounds to be dealt with. Wife, disgusted at her uncharacteristic weakness, was for 86-ing the lot. I proposed making jelly instead—and did so according to the recipe found here: Homemade Grape Jam - No Pectin. I confess: it was almost the first one I found, and I adopted it for its minimal sugar and zero pectin. Result: Awful. Probably the fault of the grapes, which were Thompson Seedless. That variety is mainly grown for providing the alcohol in cheap hip-flask wines sold out of coolers to winos. Inspiration (or desperation) struck: I remembered a bottle of minced ginger long neglected in the ice box. About 6 oz remained and I chucked ‘em holus bolus into the jam, re-warmed the mess well, and bottled it. I liked it (of course)--but others?
I sent out three samples to neighbors, each bearing the following warning: IMPORTANTE! This is Gingerbread Jam, A new threat from La Cucina di Casa Nostra, For which Bill is solely Responsible. It is meant For Buttered Toast, Grilled Meats or Anything Else to Which you might apply a Gingery Condimento. As this is new and Experimental, Please
taste-test as soon as you dare and report back. No need to be polite, but ixnay on the fisticuffs, OK?
Reports were promising, especially that of Michael, a Kiwi five floors up who is crazy for ginger. In fact, he suggested even more ginger. Accordingly I made a second batch, this time adding a whole bottle (10 oz) of Spice World Minced* Ginger after the grapes had cooked down sufficiently. That is the only change I made to the online recipe save for not breaking the grapes in the pot with a potato masher. I thrashed the hell out of ‘em in the Cuisinart. Result: Bliss for me. And so far as my Kiwi neighbor is concerned, he offered to trade me the deed to Aukland for two jars. Hope you like it as much.
*Minced is surely a misnomer. This is really a purée made w/vinegar and a little fructose. It spreads like ketchup.
end