Nectarine Preserves with Basil (Page 920)

• Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 -- 10am
• Location: Somerville, MA
• Kitchen: Matty's Apartment
• Dining Companions: Matty, Ana, and Jenny
• Recipe Rating: C-
  

Since I acquired my new boiling water canner I have been excited about making preserves! After my successful effort with the Strawberry Jam from The Book, I decided to move on to this recipe. These preserves were not so successful. I kept an open mind about the nectarine and basil combination (actually, I used peaches instead of nectarines because they were on sale -- this was listed in The Book as an acceptable substitution in this recipe), but the final verdict was that it didn't work for me. The flavors weren't terrible together, but I would have vastly preferred a plain nectarine (or peach) preserve. Also, the decorative basil leaf in the jar was very unattractive (see photo above) so at the very least I would have left that out. Aside from the questionable flavor of these preserves, the texture was also a bit weird. For some reason the preserves has a graininess to them which wasn't appealing. My final complaint is that the recipe claimed to make 8 jars, but I barely got 6 out of it. In fact, since I don't like it, and wouldn't dare give it to anyone, that's not so much a complaint as it is just a bit of information. I'm actually not sure what I am going to do with the 5 unopened jars of this that I have... any takers?

Here is the recipe.

A bit more than four weeks into my half-marathon training program, I am finally feeling the effects of running five days a week. I am starting to have a whole variety of aches and pains -- it's reassuring actually. I was feeling so normal through the first four weeks of training that I was worrying that I wasn't really making any progress. Now, though, I am achy, and my feet hurt, which gives me a better attitude about the whole thing. Also, a completely unbelievable thing has happened. I would have guessed that given that I am running five days a week, on those other two days I would be thrilled to sit on my ass all day, maybe put my feet up, and relax... But no, on the days I don't run I actually miss it?!?! How crazy is that? Yesterday was a rest day for me and all day I thought, "I feel like going for a run. No, I MUST REST." My training book is very big on the importance of having rest days, so I rest. But I would rather run. Is that not the craziest thing you have ever heard?

My favorite running moment so far: Last week my special gentleman and I were running at Fresh Pond when suddenly it started to pour. It wasn't raining, it was POURING. Sheets and sheets of rain. Within 30 seconds I was completely soaked through. It was like running in the shower (actually that downpour had better water pressure than most showers). It was raining so hard that I couldn't open my eyes. My special gentleman was way ahead of me, so there I was, running all alone with my eyes closed, completely drenched. The trails were flooded, but it didn't matter because I was flooded too. There was something unbelievably freeing about that experience. It was fantastic! Five minutes later the rain cleared, and the sun peaked out. Everyone walking/running was drenched and smiling. It was the best run I have had to date...