Plum Preserves question

[Chicky2]

Ok, so sand plums are in season and this is THE year for fruit, it seems. Berries have been picked and still more to pick, plums are everywhere, trees just breaking w/the weight. Peaches are at an all-time great this year. So far I have 30 lbs of plums. Last night I cooked them slightly, then pushed them thru my colander. I added my sugar and starting cooking it down. I guess I didn't cook the first batch enough because it thickened, but did not get quite as thick as I like. Second batch turned out great because I boiled it a few minutes longer. So my question is: if I put my jars from batch #1 back into the pot to boil some more, will it thicken more, or do I need to dump them all in a pan and start over?

[Erinz]

Curious what you ended up doing and how it worked!

[Chicky2]

I didn't do anything with it yet. We had a death in our home recently and I haven't cared. We also had 80 lbs of plums we'd picked right before this death. They rotted, and we are sticking them in the ground tonight in hopes of planting our own thicket.

[2xand2y]

I'm sorry for your loss. Starting your own thicket is a great idea for the rotten plums! (and possibly a nice memorial for the one who passed?) (((hugs)))

[Erinz]

I'm so very sorry for your loss. We've had death around us in the past few days as well.

Plum wine? Macerate them and in a year toast in the memory of the deceased? I had some strawberries macerating and intend to bring them to our good friend's widow as wine in a year to celbrate the great life they shared together. Keeps my hands busy anyway, and kichen chores sometimes are salvation for me. Ironic.

Hugs.

[Chicky2]

Thanks. ErinZ, I'm sorry for your loss, too.

They are definitely too far gone for wine. We are breaking out the tiller tomorrow night and making several nice patches to plant them. I do really like the idea of the wine to celebrate the life of the loved one. Very sweet.

Turns out, btw, when I was getting in my cabinet last night for supper ingredients (first time I've felt like cooking since this happened), I found that my sand plum preserves did indeed set up. I guess I just needed to give it more time.