Damson cheese
Almost a new year, and a new blog. For about two years, I have sporadically maintained Deborama's Kitchen but lately the postings have been farther and farther apart. Also for a little less time, I have been subscribed to and reading the Kitchen Gardener International online newsletter. So now I have the opportunity to join the Kitchen Gardener International family of bloggers. But here we are in the bleak midwinter, just before Christmas, and there is no gardening going on to speak of in my life, so what can I write about that will add to the sum total of goodness in the web world and the kitchen gardening world? And I must also give an insight into who I am, hopefully to hook a few new readers, so it should be something a little out of the ordinary. The proximity to Big Poultry Day made me think of Damson cheese, which I posted about back on Christmas 2003. Damson cheese is made, unsurprisingly from damsons, which we used to grow in our garden, in a desultory fashion, from a single tree. Sadly, the tree died last year and is gone now, sacrificed to a purely aesthetic landscaping as we prepare to sell this house.
To make damson cheese, wash your damsons and place them in a large stockpot, just barely covered with water. Cook them in slowly boiling water until they are very soft and the water is almost gone. Then sieve the pulp and remove the stones and return the pulp to the pot (but weigh it first). Add 4 ounces of sugar for each pound of fruit and continue cooking, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick, until pulp is thick enough to pull away from the edges of the pot and a spoon will stand up in it. Then pour it into moulds and let it cool. You do not have to refrigerate it if your kitchen is cool or you can store it in a basement or garage where it is cool. Traditionally, damson cheese is made in September when the damsons ripen and stored until Christams when it is eaten with the goose or game bird or turkey.