Food & Garden 04 Sep 2006 03:19 pm
Fall is flung
Used to be that I knew fall was here on that One Day. People who’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest for a while know about that day, I think. We have seasons here, but they’re a little bit subtle. One day, the clouds come scudding in just right, and you know that autumn has arrived.
But this year, I think, I’m coming to identify fall in a new way: bean-saving season. I’m saving seeds from the green beans (”Ura”, I think) and “Scarlet Emperor” scarlet runner beans to plant next year. I let the pods dry most of the way on the vine, then bring them inside to dry all the way on the kitchen table before popping them open. The green bean seeds aren’t much to look at: plain, smallish white beans. But the scarlet runners! When I was planting them, how did I miss how gorgeous they are? They’re big, shiny midnight-purple beans with lavender-pink splotches. It’s a pleasure to pop open the drab, crunchy pods and find these extravagantly beautiful beans inside. I’ve collected over a hundred grams of them so far, just from fifteen vines or so, and there are still plenty of pods left. It’s occurred to me to try to keep the house cool next summer by growing scarlet runners all over the outside walls. At this rate, I should have enough to do the whole house and maybe still have some to trade!
Plum season is just starting. I experimented today with drying plums in the solar cooker. I have a little black perforated pan that fits nicely in the top, but not so well that it doesn’t prop the lid open a little bit for ventilation. It’s close to a perfect set-up, and keeps the fruit at a good 180-200 degrees. The plums are concentrating their juices pretty well, but not fast enough to dry in a single day, and the cooker can’t hold much. If I really were to go to town, I’d make a large solar dryer and finish off the half-dried plums in the electric dehydrator. But I think this year I’ll be making a lot of plum jam. Maybe this will be the year I learn to can it.
on 05 Sep 2006 at 7:48 am 1.Liz said …
I adore those scarlet runner seeds… so beautiful. This year we ate the full green pods for the first time ever (1″ pieces, tossed with olive oil & garlic.) They were unbelievably good.
About those plums… drying sounds like a great way to go, but definitely give canning a try, both for the jam and halved plums that you can use in winter. (I’ll be glad to answer any ?s.) I know you said you were a lightweight, but you can steep them in a brandy/wine concoction for a “prunelle”-type cordial. My grandfather grew tons of prune plums, which he distilled them into a plum brandy that would put hair on your chest. (shh… not quite legal)
I have a fabulous Italian plum cake, but it only uses a pound… I’d be glad to email you the recipe if you’re interested.