Plum and Walnut Conserve

Author Notes

My mother made this nearly every year (or so it seemed) when I was a kid, and I adored it. About six years ago, I spotted plums at the Hollywood Farmers' Market and instantly flashed back to this delicious preserve. I spent weeks tracking down the recipe (which my mother had since lost) and finally found it in a World War II era Kerr canning book. I made it, as my first foray into canning, and have never looked back. I bought plums yesterday, and as soon as I can find jars (sold out in three stores I went to today!) I'll be making my own batch for this year. It's delicious on bread, on a cheese plate, on the side with roast pork or turkey, and fantastic on top of vanilla ice cream. It's sophisticated, sweet and tart, and with a great texture because of the combo of fruits and nuts. —Paige Orloff