Monday, September 22, 2008

Rambling

Decadence - what a fun word AND concept.

I'm all for simple pleasures and last week I engaged in one. I bought Bon Maman's Four Fruit Preserves.

Not only is it delicious, I am allergic to the strawberries in it and I don't care! Quelle decadence! Strawberries are my greatest forbidden fruit (hehe) and I partake of them quite infrequently, but I was in the mood to live on the edge. (I knew wouldn't have a reaction to strawberries unless I ate a tub or two.)

Next, I want to get some Marionberry from Oregon Berries. Isn't that hilarious? Marionberry!

And I want to buy some pear preserves. My grandmother who is in the nursing home due to Alzheimer's made the best pear preserves with tender but firm chunks of pears. Over the summer, I purchased a pear-lemon rind preserves in Williamsburg, but the lemon was overwhelming. In the mountains, I got a pear-cinnamon variety, but again the pureness of the pears did not shine. Amazon and Hillshire Farms carry some with pears alone, so I might begin a journey for some pear-only preserves. Years ago, I used my grandmother's recipe for making some, but mine were nothing like hers. I don't expect to find hers ever again, but it sure would be nice to get close.

The quest for pear preserves - my journey in decadence. What's yours?

7 comments:

Klynn said...

Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves are the shiznit!

When I was a little girl, my mom used to gather figs every year and make strawberry-fig preserves, and they were awesome. I really miss that. It's not that she couldn't do it anymore, she's just all by herself now and has no more desire to go through all the preserving/canning process when she can just run to the store and buy something that will "do". *sigh* Ah, for the good old days...

Churlita said...

I don't like pears. There's something about the grainy texture for me. But raspberry preserves. I might be willing to sell my soul for those.

Monica Cassani said...

ever have olallieberry preserves?

awesome...have no idea where you might get it...I used to have a homemade variety in a restaurant that was famous for it in Berkeley.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olallie

laura b. said...

I am a low rent grape jelly girl. Sad. My search for decadence when it comes to food tends to involve creamy, creamy ice cream. Mmmmmm....

NoRegrets said...

Marionberries are great. Go for them!

Anonymous said...

I haven't had too much in the way of homemade preserves. I do like good ol' strawberry preserves.

BCC said...

LOVE the delicious blackberry known as the Marionberry. Don't love the Marion Barry quite so much - especially as a DC resident. ;)

Nice catching up on your blog again Cricket. Wishing you well.