This is a collection of ornamental plants offering an edible harvest all year long. Each month I will highlight my favorite plant to be harvested at the time, its uses and attributes in the garden, as well as seasonal recipes to put it to use. Enjoy!
November
December
January
February
Featured Plant : QUINCE!
Ornamental Qualities
Recipes
Care/Maintenance Tips
Quince Jam Recipe
Homemade Quince Jam
* 6 cups (packed) of quince, rinsed, grated (discard cores, leave peel on)
* 4 1/4 cups water
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 1 Tbsp lemon zest
* 4 cups sugar (don’t skimp on the sugar, or your jam won’t set correctly)
Wash, core, and grate quince in a food processor or with a cheese grater. Put the water in a large, wide, thick-bottomed saucepan (6-8 quarts) and bring to a boil. Add the grated quince, lemon juice and lemon zest. Reduce heat and simmer until the quince is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the sugar and bring to a boil again. Stir to dissolve all of the sugar. Lower the heat to medium high. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until quince jam turns pink and thickens to desired consistency, about an hour. Ladle into hot, sterilized canning jars and seal. Allow to cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Makes about 5 half-pints.
To preserve for long-term storage, sterilize jars and lids according to manufacturer’s directions. Place in a boiling-water bath canner for about 12 minutes.
