Damson Plum Nectar - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 quarts damson plums
2 quarts filtered cold water
1 quart fresh apple cider
4 cups sugar
1 cup honey
3 cups fresh lemon juice or 3 cups fresh lime juice (or combination)

Preparation

Wash and pick over the plums.
Put them in a kettle with the 2 quarts of water.
Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
Put them through a food mill, or press in a strainer to extract as much juice as possible.
Return the pits and skins to the kettle, and add the apple cider.
Bring to a boil and boil for another 10 minutes or so.
Strain again, into the same pot with the rest of the juice.
Discard the skins and pits.
Put 7 jars in a canner, cover with water and bring to a boil; boil for 10 minutes to sterilize.
When they are done, take them out and put in 7 more jars and boil them for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, return the juice to the kettle, and add the sugar, honey and lemon or lime juice.
Bring to a boil.
When it boils, pack it in the hot sterilized jars, and seal according to manufacturer's directions.
(Generally, boil lids for 5 minutes).
Return 7 jars to the canner and process for 10 minutes.
Remove and repeat with the remaining jars.
To serve; dilute with 2 or 3 jars of cold water according to taste, and serve over ice.
Also good with ginger ale or maybe even white wine.