So the week of solitude is over and I've walked 12 miles, worked out everyday on the elliptical for 15 minutes and stayed on the WW diet everyday. Total lost: 4 pounds. I'll take it.

It is time to organize my preserves today.  I'm making labels and putting all the liqueurs into the wine cellar. Some of the liqueurs look similar enough to each other that I've had to do some tasting to decide which is which. Ahh... the sacrifices we make to the gods of organization.

 I added a few new ones this week:

Apricot pineapple preserves

Home made ketchup

Dill mustard

Jalapeno hot sauce

Pickled cherries with bay and black pepper

Plum liqueur

Raspberry vinegar

Pickle of pears, plums and Meyer lemons with ginger*

I'll be adding them to my cache:

Liqueurs:  Meyer Lemon limoncello, Blueberry, Ginger, Raspberry,

Boysenberry, Vanilla rose, Apricot Cinnamon, Kumquat,

Pickles:  Zucchini, Grape, Figs, Plums, Cherry tomatoes, bread and butter,

 Half sour

Preserves:  Shiraz jelly,  Blackberry shiraz jelly, Kumquat compote,

Candied cherries, Maraschino cherries, Brandied cherries,

Meyer lemon marmalade, Strawberry balsamic preserves

* This jar of pickled fruit from Alton Brown will make you moan out loud with pleasure

Summer Fruits

2 Bartlett pears, thinly sliced

2 red plums, seeded and quartered

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon fresh ginger, slivered

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup rice wine vinegar

1 sprig fresh mint

Place the pear, plum, lemon, and fresh ginger in a bowl. In a non-reactive saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves.

Place the fruit mixture into a spring-top glass jar and add the sprig of mint to the fruit. Slowly pour the hot pickling liquid over the fruit, filling the jar to the top.

Cool the pickles, then refrigerate for 2 days up to 1 week before serving.