Keeping summer alive: The delicious art of preserving plums in vinegar

It's the season for treasures from orchards and gardens. Enjoy it not only by snacking on ripe fruits for your evening treat but also by preparing preserves. Jars filled with the taste of summer will be perfect for winter days when fruits are just a memory. Alongside compotes and jams, consider making plums in vinegar.

It's worth refreshing the recipe and making space for a few jars. Preparing such plums is simple. While you won't drink them at dinner, they pair excellently with pâtés, roasted meats, or cold cuts. They can also be added to salads and treated similarly to pickled mushrooms. They wonderfully diversify a cheese board, breaking through its flavor. There are plenty of serving options, so it's worth reaching for this recipe when preparing homemade preserves.

When choosing plums for this recipe, opt for ripe but still somewhat firm. They handle pasteurization better and don't fall apart in the jar. Plums from later harvests are usually sweeter and more aromatic, making them better suited for preserves.

Italian plums are the best plums for preserves. They are firm, juicy, and have an intense flavor. You can also use yellow mirabelles in vinegar.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of ripe but firm Italian plums,
• 0.5 cups of 10% distilled vinegar,
• 3 cups of water,
• 1 cup of sugar,
• 1 cinnamon stick,
• 10 cloves,
• a few cardamom seeds.

Instructions:

1. Wash the plums thoroughly and gently prick each of them in several places with a toothpick to better absorb the flavor of the marinade.
2. Place the fruits in a jar.
3. In a pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and spices (cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom). Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat to cool slightly.
4. Pour the still-hot marinade over the plums in the jar.
5. Leave the plums in the marinade for 24 hours.
6. After this time, drain the marinade from the jar, heat it again (but do not boil), and pour it over the plums again, leaving them for another 24 hours. Repeat this process three times.
7. Tightly seal the jars. Carefully wipe the rim of each jar to ensure a tight seal. Then, turn the jars upside down and let them cool.

Store the prepared plums in a dry, cool place for several years. Thanks to the maceration process and tightly sealing the jars, the plums in vinegar do not require additional pasteurization. Enjoy!