Bethany:

Has it already been a year? I look in the backyard and see once again a tree full of ripening plums. Some of you may recall the insanity of last year (here, here, here), something I decided was not quite worth repeating in the heat of summer. There was one project that was rather more successful, but I didn't write about it in the summer since it took a lot longer to complete than the other ones, and I wasn't sure whether or not it would turn out.

It turned out though, just in time for Christmas, and received far more compliments than any of our other plum projects.

So this year we are throwing the majority of our plums into, well, jars of alcohol. Pick (or even better, recruit a bunch of bored teenagers to pick for you!) bags full of unblemished unripe plums. Wash them, remove stems, and dry them carefully. In half gallon glass jars, layer plums (about half the jar full) with a cup and a half or so of raw sugar. Pour cheap vodka (Trader Joe's!) in a bit short of the neck, pop the top on the jar, put in a dark place, and forget until Christmas or next year or even longer.

The result is so yummy that even I who generally have no interest in any kind of vodka based drink think it is amazing on the rocks.

Next week will hopefully begin the plum rum project....