Plums
The Angeleno variety of plums is a medium sized plum with a deep purple skin and amber flesh. Autumn giant will be harvested soon - a plum, with a dark pink skin and a yellow flesh. The ruby blood plum, a Japanese plum with dark red mottled skin with a dark red flesh. The Queen Garnett plum is also delicious with reportedly high anthocyanin levels. Select a plump firm (slightly soft when pressed). Skin should be smooth. Avoid hard or over ripe plums.
Yield: 4 x No. 31 Bottles
Ingredients
3 kg red plums
2 bottles of pinot noir (if you prefer a sweeter poach use sherry)
500mL water
125 g raw sugar
3 vanilla beans split in half
3 orange zested
5 pieces of cinnamon bark
Method
1. Place half the pinot noir and the sugar in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Take off the heat and add the remaining red wine and water. Cool.
3. Wash and wipe plums ensuring to remove bloom. Remove stalk.
4. Cut around the natural line of the plums and twist halves apart. Remove and discard stones.
5. Pack cut side down. Add vanilla orange and cinnamon bark to each bottle.
6. Leave a 12mm headspace from the rim of each bottle.
7. Top up with syrup ensuring to remove air bubbles
8. Seal bottle with ring, lid and clip.
9. Process as per preserver type.