My Favourite Jam. A true, Rare Aussie Delight.

 

Unique, Sweet Story Telling

I like all sorts of jam (conserve, preserve, jelly, spread, confiture). 

I grew up having it on sandwiches for lunch at school, on toast for breakfast and special occasions with scones and cream. But I have discovered a jam that is by far the most pleasing when I get a chance to enjoy it. Perhaps these few thoughts may be inspiration for you to look beyond your usual, safe jam. 

I hope to inspire adventure in your writing enjoyment.

This is my favourite jam.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

•              700 g Fruit (revealed below)

•              700 g sugar

•              1 lemon or orange, juiced

•              ½ vanilla pod, cut in half lengthways

Instructions

1.            Start off by washing your fruit

2.            Put the washed whole fruit into a a non reactive stockpot with the lemon/orange juice and                   water. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer.

3.            Cook the fruit over medium heat for about 30 minutes until they change colour, release their                 juice and become very soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

4.            Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

5.            Once cool, squish the fruit with your fingers and remove the seeds from each fruit. Discard the             seeds and keep the fruit, skins and juice, adding them back to the non reactive pot.

                Weigh the fruit and add equal parts sugar.

                500g = 500g sugar etc.

6.            Add lemon juice and vanilla pod and heat the mixture over a moderate heat.

                Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

                Bring to a light rolling boil and allow to simmer for an hour or until the mixture has slightly                     thickened.

 7.            Test the mixture by putting a small amount on a saucer and place in the freezer for a minute to                 see if it sets.

8.            During the last phase of jelly cooking, clean and boil your jars and lids ready for the jelly.                         They need a good rolling 10 minute boil and should be used hot when filling with the jelly.

9.            Once the mixture is ready, pour out into to jars.

                Put the lids on immediately and allow to cool before storing.

 

The Special Ingredient Revealed

•              The fruit : DAVIDSON PLUMS

 

Davidson Plum jam is a rare preserve as the fruit has traditionally only been found growing on native trees endemic to limited rainforest micro-climate environments of Queensland and the  North Eastern part of New South Wales. This beautiful palm shaped tree has graceful fronds with fine hairy stems and on the underside of leaves. It produces clusters of large dark blue to black brilliant coloured fruit that resemble plums 4-5cm in diameter. It is one of the thousands of native edible plants, yet not many people know this. It was enjoyed by Aboriginal people and is now popular with chefs around the country – particularly for jams, sauces, chutneys and even wine. The dark red flesh contains two unusual flat seeds and has a wonderfully acidic plum flavour. The skin is thin but on the tougher, leathery side, and is covered with very fine hairs.  It might resemble the shape of the European plum, but they are not closely related and the native plum is far more sour than the fruit we are used to.

 There are three identified species of Davidson Plums (Davidsonia)  Davidsonia jerseyana, Davidsonia johnsonii and Davidsonia pruriens. All three trees are slender, but D. pruriens, also known as Ooray or Queensland Davidson’s plum, is tallest, growing up to 12 metres high. There are a few small-scale plantations producing the fruit in New South Wales and Queensland.  D. jerseyana, native to lowland subtropical NSW, is considered endangered in the wild, but is widely cultivated. It reaches five metres high. D. johnsonii is a small tree with a spreading canopy and smooth leaves, also considered an endangered species in the wild.

Health Benefits

In 2009 the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) – now AgriFutures Australia released  the a report on the evaluation of health benefits of Australian native foods. This report makes for compelling reading when considering the health benefits of the OORAY fruit (Davidsonia pruriens).The report states:

“Native species evaluated in this study exhibited superior antioxidant capacity as compared to the Blueberry standard, renowned worldwide as the ‘health-promoting fruit.’ In comparison to commonly consumed fruits that comprise predominantly hydrophilic antioxidants, native foods contained antioxidant activity in both hydrophilic and lipophilic fractions. This suggests more comprehensive protection from oxidative stress, and possibly more pronounced health benefits.”

In 2012 RIRDC  released a further report on the evaluation of the The Potential Physiological Activities of Selected Australian Herbs and Fruits. This report contains a substantial amount of information regarding possible health benefits of OORAY. One of the impressive things going for the Davidson’s plum is its nutrients. It has more antioxidants than the blueberry, which is known worldwide for health benefits. It also contains potassium, lutein (a compound important for eye health), vitamin E, folate, zinc, magnesium and calcium. It is best to eat the skin as well as the flesh of the fruit as the skin contains most of the nutrients.

Another benefit of Davidson’s plum is its intense colouring which can act as a natural food colour.Meanwhile, research is being done into its preservative properties. When tested on some meats, a product made from Davidson’s plum extended the shelf life of the meat by 21 days in chilled conditions.

Davidson’s Plum is not recommended for eating fresh but is excellent stewed, or preserved or made into jam using recipes for European plums.  Some say you should double the amount of sugar that you would use in such a recipe. The flesh can be used in savoury dishes as well.

A personal friend of mine grows the fruit on his conservation and environmentally sustainable property in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. His produce has been used extensively by a native bushfoods Aboriginal owned business founded from a love of quality Native foods. Their native bushfoods products are grown and handmade in South East Queensland. They are available in restaurants, online, across the shelf and even featured in museums. This company notes that “Davidson Plum Jam is great used as conventional jam, or with crackers and cheese”. Interestingly they add that it is also “perfect to add on a piece of meat”. Their collaboration is making a sour, hard to attain bush food into a sweet, accessible reality for others. 

I hope my writing has similar outcomes. 

 

Unique, Sweet Story Telling

 

There are a few interesting aspects to my favourite Jam that intersect with my writing journey. Maybe these points are an inspiration for you too ?

It is rare. I hope my writing is attractive for others who are after some rare, meaningful and inspirational treats.

It is Unique. I enjoy challenging myself as an author and researching and trying new forms of writing expression and practice. For example narrative structures come in many forms, and unique ones might have more than one main character, a delayed inciting incident, and a nonlinear storyline that challenges readers. I am also trying my hand at a "tragedy" set in an alternate history cybernetic 1980's.

It has potential health benefits. In the back of my mind whenever I am writing is a sense of missional call: I hope my writing makes a positive change in the world.

It is a unique collaborative blend of indigenous wild knowledge and introduced food culture. I enjoy delving into stories that express cultural meaning and humble learnings that have been guided by impartation from valued mentors and cultural elders. I aim to embrace and highlight Australian distinctives in my writing style, characters, settings and themes.

It is a very sour raw fruit that when processed makes for it’s appeal as a notable confiture. Writing sometimes is hard work and even a challenging process but it is made sweet by our persistent testing of our recipes.

It is a pleasant surprise when enjoyed for the first time. Give new things a go

I have enjoyed (on damper) with a strong coffee, making the experience even more delectable. I love writing in inspirational places (with good coffee and good people)

I have not made it yet. I hope I can make a jam that I do justice to and continue to publish as my ‘opus’.

I have tasted and tried those made by others. I know I enjoy this jam because others have made it and I know I can too.

I am looking forward to making my own. 

 

 

I have discovered a jam that is by far the most pleasing when I get a chance to enjoy it. Perhaps these few thoughts may be inspiration for you to look beyond your usual, safe jam. Perhaps these few thoughts have inspired you to be adventurous in your writing enjoyment.

What is the unique, special, “tasty” ingredient in your writing?

Or what ingredient are you keen to explore ?

Why don't you try a new jam!

 

May the fruit of all your labours be sweet :) 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Glowinski L. (2008) The complete book of fruit growing in Australia. Hachette Australia.

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) 2009 Report on The Evaluation of the Health Benefits of Australian Foods

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)  2012  The Potential Physiological Activities of Selected Australian Herbs and Fruits.

photos various public sources

By Knowing Me Here - Jo Sarah Stanford

Israel.

Somewhere between Nazareth and Capernaum.

It’s just after lunch and the hottest part of the day. Day three of hiking the Jesus Trail – from Nazareth to Capernaum.We’ve probably done about 45km already – 27km more to go. I am tired, my feet are sore and my pack feels heavy on my back. I come over a hill and look down into a valley…and straight into my story.

​I stop dead in my tracks. Before me lies a dirt road with a field of wheat, growing golden-green on my right. The path ahead winds to the left around a big hill that stands in our way. I take a deep breath. I wrote this. Not just, ‘oh this reminds me of my novel…’ but, ‘that’s the hill where my character cuts across the fields, when she comes home from school because she doesn’t want to go the long way. Even though her neighbour asks her to not…’ It was my story…and I was there.

I recently spent a year in Israel, volunteering for the non-profit Bridges for Peace. I was part of a team of ten young adults, who came from all over the world to participate in their unique discipleship program. While there, my job was “journalist and International Content Manager” for thepublications department (Cool, hey!?). During Passover, we went on the popular hike called the Jesus’ Trail, which runs 72km from Nazareth to Capernaum, ending on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It is a four-day hike, tough for anyone, let alone for someone with a physical disability like myself. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it all the way… but I did.

​ 

        The circumstances that led to me living in Israel were a miracle in themselves. I knew God had called me. However, hiking the Jesus’ trail – the lows, the highs, the exhilaration, the tears – was a unique experience of its own. So many times I thought to myself, ‘this is good material for my story.’ Then I came to that valley, with a scene I had already written laid out before me, and a little voice inside me whispered, ‘perhaps God brought me to Israel for another reason too.’ So I could finish my novel.

It was one I had been working on for quite some time (years) and was very close to my heart. It was also the one giving me the most trouble. The plot was elusive, the characters silent and I struggled to put into words what I saw and felt inside. To me it was more than “just a story”, but given its current not-even-a-draft status, in reality it wasn’t much a story at all. Friends were publishing their first and second – even third– novels , and I didn’t even have a name for my fantasy world. 

​

It is easy to get despondent over a lack of progress in our work. Whether we sit day and night at our desk and more papers end up on the floor than filled with words, whether we are too busy or just can’t find the motivation – there is a little voice inside us calling, ‘remember your mission.’ How many of us read books wishing we could be a part of that world, envying the characters’ journey yet forgetting they had struggles of their own? Some people accuse readers of “reading to escape” but I don’t escape. I learn.

My favourite books have taught to me to put others first, to be brave and to stand tall because the bad guys can be defeated. They have taught me about myself and about my faith. They have taught me that even if you are tired, your feet are sore and your pack feels heavy on your back – if you keep going you never know what story you might enter into.

In C.S. Lewis’ the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Aslan reveals to Lucy one of the reasons he brought her into Narnia. ‘That by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.’ God brought me to Israel for many reasons, but one of them was so that I might finish my story. Hiking the Jesus’ Trail made my story more real to me. The lows, the highs, the exhilaration and the tears I experienced will become words scratched out on page after page, eventually turning into this novel I know I am supposed to write. 

​I saw a scene from my own story, quite literally before my eyes, and I marvelled at the work of God – the Great Author – and how He planned this all before I even knew how to write. In knowing Him in that moment, I know Him better now. What story has God given you, so that one day a reader might be braver, stronger, kinder? How might they know Him better because of the words you write? 

Remember your mission. Don’t lose heart. Keep writing.

(The Sea of Galilee. I made it to the end.)

Jo Sarah Stanford is a freelance writer with her own business: Write It Up! She has recently spent a year as a journalist in Jerusalem, Israel and is the editor of Bridge Builders the national bi-monthly magazine for Bridges for Peace. She is also a karate instructor and lives in the Adelaide Hills with her chickens. www.writeitup.com.au 

Difficult and Inspirational Tenacity by Charis Joy Jackson

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”  

JRR Tolkien

Many things have invaded my life recently like brick walls keeping the light out. I've said a lot of goodbyes, dealt with extremely crucial deadlines, been kept at work for long hours, and most recently I lost a loved one to cancer. Finding time and passion to write has been hard and honestly one of the last things on my mind. My world has gotten dark, but I don't want to be faithless so how do I keep writing?

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” 

C.S. Lewis

I may not like “hard”, but Tolkien and Lewis shout to me across the years, telling me to keep going. Telling me to persevere.

To be tenacious.

I must hold on to even the smallest bit of hope and passion I have. I must write even when I don't feel like it. I must remember the difference between an aspiring author and a serious one is discipline. I must walk into difficulty, accepting the hard things that stand in the way and keep my eye on the prize.

Last weekend a friend and I went to our local coffee shop and settled in to write. I did everything I could to put off actually writing. I showed up late, scrolled through facebook, even took my time ordering coffee. I didn't have the inspiration or passion. It's been months since I've opened the document to even try. After a little pep talk from my friend, who told me to “just do it” I finally focused on the document in front of me and began to write. Haltingly at first, but then with more excitement. Within an hour I had 1300 words written and more coming. When I left all I could think about was getting home so I could keep writing.

Difficulties are hard, but tenacity brings hope. Even a spark beats back the darkness.

Already, just days after my success I can feel the weight of difficulty trying to quench the little hope I had this weekend. BUT I can't focus on what's hard, I must focus on the prize. I must remember how words and story gets under my skin and sets me on fire.

I must remember I love it.

I must remember how creating a new world with my God-given imagination seems like the most amazing thing ever. I will push through those walls. I can almost see my characters igniting like little lights in my mind.

I'll focus on God, the ultimate Creator and most tenacious inventor ever. What must it have been like for him when he created the world? Swirling dust together to form complex creatures that reflect His image...

Seeing that crisp, blank document may send thrills through my system and ignite my adrenaline, but now the idea of typing "The End" fills me with tenacity. And hope.

What about you? What is difficulty holding you back from?

Here's my challenge. Write. Be tenacious. Even when you don't feel like it. Even when life seems hard. Watch how God uses those times to surprise you. Let passion in, hold tight to tenacity and discipline.

They'll be your best friends. 

Charis Joy Jackson is working as a missionary with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) a non-profit organization & is part of The Initiative Production Company. She loves creating stories & is currently writing a novel, which she hopes to create into a seven part series. 

Here's to a life lived in awe & wonder. 
Welcome to the adventure.

www.charisjoyjackson.com

The power of stories

This scene at Half Moon Bay, on one of the Antarctic Islands, is so peaceful and so beautiful. But like life, this place is not always so tranquil. There have been times when this place has been, and still would be, a death trap.                                     Our trip to Antarctica in February offered not only amazing scenery but also wonderful and terrifying stories that began over a hundred years ago; of men driven by a passion for adventure, a vision of achievements unimagined by most,  and the courage to face hazardous and life threatening circumstances for months and even years. Men who dreamed of reaching the mysterious south pole or crossing the unknown continent of Antarctica from side to side. Men who were willing to face freezing temperatures, dangerous pack ice, isolation, starvation, exhaustion and possible death in order to carry out their goals.                                                                                                                                                                                        Walking in some of their footsteps, seeing the sights they saw, experiencing a little of the conditions they faced, reminded me of some of the lesser seen characteristics of human nature; those reserved for the few willing to push at the boundaries most of us refuse to cross. It made me wonder about the motivation of such men. Was it fame, excitement, curiosity, or sheer determination to face the seemingly impossible and overcome? Whatever drives such expeditions, they leave a legacy that enthralls, inspires and terrifies most of us mortals.                                                                                                                     Their stories will be told and retold for many years to come, and are certainly best heard and read while surrounded by wild seas and white jagged mountains, of huge  floating chunks of ice, katabatic winds that will blow a large man to the ground in seconds, hundreds of thousands of curious king penguins, elephant seals and albatross - all of which we experienced at different times during our journey.                                                                                                                                                     It was an unforgettable experience for me, again giving me a great appreciation of the wonder and beauty of God's creation, and also the resilence of human nature. It was also testament to the power and fascination of historical stories, and further inspiration to continue writing about the lessons we can learn from the past.