I have always had a propensity for combining unusual ingredients. I take pleasure in creating something new and unexpected...especially if my efforts end up being rewarded with big smiles and "Wow!"'s. And whether it turns out to be a failure or something fabulous, I always end up learning something to take to the next level.
So my chosen adventure to embark upon this weekend was to make jelly. I have cooked and baked a lot in my life. But in my entire 45 years, I have never attempted to "can" or make jelly or jam. My inspiration came from a recent trip to the grocery store when my husband spotted prickly cactus pears in the produce section.
While growing up in New Mexico, the cactus pears were one of James' favorite natural delicacies. He described the flavor with the kind of fondness reserved for precious childhood memories as he told me about how he would find them, cut them in half and enjoy slurping the juice from around the seeds until he had a magenta line running down his chin. I wonder how many times his mom had to soak prickly pear juice out of his shirts.
I tried to think of what I could do with the bags of cactus pears my husband had picked out at the grocery store. They were one ingredient that, not only was I unfamiliar with, I had never even heard of how to prepare them. Heck, I had never even tasted a cactus pear. I didn't have a clue as to what on Earth I could possibly do with them to turn them into something really tasty. But challenge fuels my creative juices.
Once we got home, I washed them and cut them open. Of course, James dove right in and offered Jaxson some to try, as well. As I bit into my piece, I discovered they are filled with small seeds much like a pomegranite, but with a different texture. So the gears in my head started turning. Because of the flavor and texture of this exotic, yet humble, fruit, I surmised this would be a perfect ingredient for a jam or jelly. This would be the perfect excuse to give canning a try! And I had an idea...a very special idea.
So I started my adventure by calling my mom to see if I could borrow her fruit press. Once I had all the right tools in place, I began peeling and chopping the cactus pears. Jaxson delighted in helping me press the juice out of the fruit. I took the pear nectar and blended it with the other ingredients; stirring and gently boiling, addding more of this, a little of that...until I thought it was just right.
I followed my mom's instructions on how to prepare the jars, pour the liquid in, seal the lids, putting the jars in the water bath, etc. By morning, I just knew I would have achieved perfection. NOT. I had hit the nail on the head with the flavor. The deep rosy magenta color was gorgeous! But it did not gel! As I moved the jar around gently, the contents inside were quite liquified.
Not one to give up easily, I called my mom again to seek her advice. She said, "just pour it into a sauce pan, add some more pectin and boil it down." I followed her instructions...and this time, I got it right!
Yesterday, as I described my idea for this new recipe to my friend, Melody, she asked me, "How do you come up with this stuff?" And I answered her, "Well, I'm either crazy or brave...or maybe a little bit of both." But through my culinary adventures, I always manage to come up with something interesting...and life is too short to be boring! I'm glad I gave it a try. And in the process, came up with something very special.
My result...Cactus Pear & White Merlot Jelly! It is now my signature jelly for my brand, Cooking With The Carpenter's Wife. What's so special about it? I took one of my husband's favorite foods, combined it with my favorite wine and it is seasoned with one of my son's favorite spices. It ended up being a good marriage that is a tribute to mine.
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