The are many advantages to living on a farm/smallholding or wherever you could cultivate your own fruit. In Rita Schubert’s case (and her hubby Harry) the renowned Overvaal Protea and Fruit farm in the pristine Buffelspoort Valley is only a few miles up the road from where the Schuberts live. Rita and Joan van Maltitz and quite few ladies from the Woman’s Agricultural Association (Vrouelandbou-unie) became experts in the preparation of jam, sherry, syrup and the like over the years. So, for this wonderful cherry jam and Rumtopf (a very smooth and tasty sherry) Rita drove over to Santie de Wet of Overvaal and got herself a few kg’s of bright, ripe cherries which is cultivated in great quantities for the SA export market at Overvaal. For her turn at “Raak die ‘klits’ kwyt” Rita decided on Cherry jam which is cooked in a special way and a similarly tasty “Rumtopf” - a delicate sherry or even “port” made from the same cherries but without the same “kick” as ordinary liqueurs.
Rita does it like this...
Ingredients
3 kg hulled cherries
2.3 kg sugar
Juice of 3 lemons
grated rind of 2 lemons (if small)
1 packet Gelierfix/kg of fruit (available at Kroondal Spar)
Method
Layer cherries with sugar in a pot and leave overnight. Add the juice and rind of the lemons and stir thoroughly making sure all the sugar has dissolved. Bring to rolling boil, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add Gelierfix mixed with 200 gm sugar into fruit, stir well and boil for a further 1 minute. Remove foam and four into warm clean, jars, then firmly close jars and turn them upside down. Let them stand on their lids for approximately 5 minutes and then label and store - OR let the jars cool and when the jam settles and a skin forms on top pour on melted candle wax sealing the jam well before closing the lid.
Rumtopf
As “agreed” above, the Rumtopf is a wonderful home-made sherry/liqueur that can be prepared with most types of fresh fruits. Rita’s version made with the same Overvaal cherries was tremendously smooth and although its reminds one of the popular Old Brown Sherry, it’s definitely better. If the result is going to be the same on the chilly day - one will have to see. Rita makes it this way...
Ingredients
Hulled berries or any fruit which have pips or stones but not soft fruit like papaw, bananas, pineapples etc. One (1) kg of fruit (stoned or hulled )covered in equal weight of sugar in a suitable glass bottle or large jar with lid. Pour in 1 bottle of rum. Close bottle and store in a dark, cook place for a few weeks until sugar is completely absorbed/dissolved. Do NOT shake or stir content once rum has been added. A liqueur will develop and the fruit will become saturated with the rum. Ideal for quick desert spooned over ice cream or for a night cap before bed time...
