I rarely purchase fresh Swedish plums. Our plum season is very short - from September to October. Like all fruits, I also have to buy the plums in a grocery store. They are imported from other parts of the world, and available all year round. The plum trees are hardy, thriving in cool, dry climates. The fruit can be used in many ways - fresh, dried, cooked or in other forms. This is an old-time plum marmalade recipe. It comes from my grandmother´s cookbook.

Well, I am not sure whether I should call it marmalade or jam?

I looked up the word “marmalade” in my Standard Dictionary of the English language:

Marmalade: A preserve made by boiling the pulp and part of rind or skin of fruits, usually citrus fruits, with sugar to the consistency of jam.

Then I looked up the word “jam”.

Jam: A pulpy, sweet conserve of fruit boiled with sugar; distinguished from jelly.

I still don´t quite understand the difference. Besides, “Marmelada” is a Portuguese word derived from “marmelo”, describing a quince conserve.

Marmalade… jam … or whatever this product is called in English, this is a Swedish first-class marmalade made with slightly unripe second-class plums.

INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ kg (1500 grams) plums
1 dl (100 ml) water
½ liter (500 ml) sugar
juice of 2 lemons
peel of 1 lemon

METHOD:
* Count the plums and write down the number.
* Wash and put them into a heavy-bottomed pot.
* Bring to a boil, stirring.
* Cook, stirring, until the stones float to the surface, ab. 30 minutes.
* Remove the stones with a spoon and check the number.
* That is the only reason why it is good to know the number of the plums from the beginning.
* Remove from heat and stir in sugar until it is dissolved.
* Peel one of the lemons with a potato peeler.
* Cut the zest into fine pieces.
* Squeeze juice of 2 lemons.
* Add zest and juice.
* Cook gently, without a lid, for ab. 60 minutes, skimming and stirring frequently. It must not burn at the bottom.

Now it is time to make the plate test:
* Remove marmalade from heat, place 1 tablespoon of marmalade on a chilled plate, run a finger through it, and when a crinkly track mark is left, marmalade has set.
* When ready, pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal the jars.
* Store in a cool, dark place.

It does not keep for a long time stored in sealed jars. The marmalade will keep much better stored in suitable containers in the freezer until ready to use.

My grandmother used to crack 10 plum kernels too. She chopped the almonds finely. A few minutes before the marmalade was done, she stirred down the chopped almonds. Voila! A plum marmalade with a very special flavour.

B17
I don´t think my grandmother had ever heard about B17 (amygdalin). It is found in seeds and kernels of fruits such as peaches, apricots, oranges, apples, plums, cherries, nectarines, and in some beans and grasses too. (Another species which contains amygdalin 4 Bird Cherry )

B17 is not officially known as a vitamin. It became famous when some scientists claimed that components of the apricot kernel made it impossible to acquire cancer. It would even kill any existing cancers, they said.

It is believed that the active anticancer ingredient is cyanide. A chemical make-up of amygdalin is called Laetrile. It is a synthetic and purified form of amygdalin (B17). Laboratory studies, animal studies, and human studies have found no scientific evidence to support this cancer therapy, as far as I know.

B17 (Laetrile, Amygdalin) is not considered an approved treatment for cancer by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Source: My Recipes