Funny - I was just thinking about this over the weekend - planning what and how much we should can this year. I made some elderberry-port wine jelly and it makes a great sauce for meat. Melt some, add some broth, thicken and serve with grilled steaks or filets (we eat a lot of venison and this flavor goes wonderfully with that). It would be good on pork, too. I've started putting up most things "plain" - beets, tomatoes, peaches, cherries, etc. so I can tweak them however I want when I open the jar. Instead of jam, I make fruit chutneys instead. Rhubarb, gooseberry, cranberry and plum so far. DH loves them with meat or on a sandwich, and if I get my once-in-a-blue-moon craving for a PB&J, I just use one of the sweeter chutneys. They work for both sweet and savory. Great with a fruit and cheese plate, too, which we have for dessert a lot in the summer. I still make some jellies and jams, but mostly for gifts, so I make small 4 oz. jars, which everyone loves for Christmas. I finally used up the applesauce from last year. We don't eat it by itself, so I use it in quick breads (any that call for a cup of vegetable oil, I substitute 1/2 cup of applesauce for 1/2 of the oil).

Honey Plum Jam 3 cups pitted, coarsely chopped purple plums (about 500g) 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup water 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons honey Combine the plums, sugar, water and lemon juice in saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, but maintain boil. Stir and mash occasionally with back of spoon for about 15 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in honey. Allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate in tightly covered jars for up to 2 weeks. Plum Jam You will need 340g sugar for every 450g plums. Wash and dry, stone and weight the plums and cut into halves or quarters. Put into a large saucepan, cover with the sugar. Stir well and leave for 24 hours. Next day, slowly bring the mixture to the boil, stirring with a wooden spoon at short intervals until the sugar starts to dissolve. When boiling point is reached, reduce heat and simmer on low until the mixture gels when tested. Stir in 2 teaspoons margarine. Bottle in sterilised jars while still hot and seal with paraffin wax. If liked, add 1 tablespoon chopped glace ginger and 1 tablespoon green ginger wine for every 500g of jam to the mixture when beginning to cook.

Over gingerbread? Over gingerbread pancakes? Mixed with maple syrup over pancakes....over waffles piled high with cooked sweetened apples and whipped cream....as a basting sauce for roast pork? In a spoon...to your mouth??

I agree with golden syrup as a substitute. Or cane syrup. These will yield a darker product and the flavour might be more caramelized. Having said that, I use regular corn syrup in all recipes that call for "white" corn syrup all the time. I am not sure about honey, as the flavour might be too strong depending on what you are making. I found this on a website called cooks dot com (with, you know, a real dot LOL). I have never tried it. LIGHT CORN SYRUP SUBSTITUTE 2 c. white sugar 3/4 c. water 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar Dash of salt Combine all ingredients in a heavy, large pan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and put cover on it for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan. Uncover and cook until it reaches soft ball stage. Stir often. Cool syrup and store in a covered container at room temperature. It will keep for about 2 months. Makes almost 2 cups.