This was my first time making preserves. In fact, I never even knew what preserves were. The recipe does not use pectin. The sugar and the stirring (a lot of it) combine to give a beautiful translucence and somewhat syrupy texture to the fruit.

 

I used plums from the Swarey Family Orchard in the Amish community of Belleville, PA. We found this farm on a day trip to the Amish auction and flea market that’s held in Belleville every Wednesday during the summer. It’s a drive well worth taking.