OH! I got my cantaloupe soakin’ under some sugar now. I’m gonna let it sit for 24 hours and then make jelly drivin’ by the seat of my pants. I’ll let ya know if it works. This is how I came up with my really good herbed wine jellies so I’m at least hopeful I’ll get it right after a few tries.
Hey, great can hardly wait to hear how the ‘mellon wine’ turns out.
On Texas Culture, I learned to love it. Never will forget many things about it. Like when I was in the Army, and finished training at Ft. Devens, Mass., and was transferred to Ft. Wolters, TX - we flew from Boston (where they gave you a long silent down their nose look if you asked them what time it was.) and then we flew to Dallas, bus to Ft. Worth and then another bus to Ft. Wolters. Well, three of us were walking around looking over the town while waiting for one of the bus connections and asked a feller wearing an old western hat and shirt, jeans and old boots if he would recommend some place to get a bite to eat - he immediately said “Sure fellas, was just gettin ready to have a bite myself - how bout joinin me” He took us to the Farmer’s Daughter (WOW what a restaurant) and we had HUGE steaks - fantastic! When the bill came, he told the waitress -”These fellers got a job to do - I’m payin for their meals.” I have tried to carry on his act ever since.
LOL I meant the melon jam - must have had the wine on my mind.
I made some great cantaloupe wine a few years back. I just looked at a few recipes, and came up with my own. After it was done, it was so good that I wished I had written the recipe down. I also have made muscadine, blackberry, elderberry, and pear wine, with varying results from excellent to pour it down the drain. I rarely drink the stuff, other than to taste it. People still ask me years after getting a bottle if I have any more, so that might be a good bargaining item if TSHTF.
My wife also makes jelly and pear honey when she has the time. Between the wine and jelly, we've made a few new friends, and gotten access to fishing holes and free wood with gifts of both.