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| Thursday's Peach Harvest |
I picked most of the rest of the peaches that were on the tree, yesterday (Thursday), leaving only about 4 or 5 on the tree to ripen a bit more.
Today, I set about making jam with some of the peaches I've picked. I weighed out 5 lbs. of peaches, figuring that, by the time I peel and remove the stones (and cut out any bruised parts) I will have about 4 lbs. of prepared peaches.
My basic jam recipe is: 1 lb. sugar for 1 lb. fruit, some lemon juice to help provide pectin, and, in this case, a little cinnamon to flavor the jam. Once I peeled and chopped the fruit, I added the sugar and the juice of 3 1/2 lemons and a piece of cinnamon stick and boiled it. It took about one hour of boiling to get the jam to come to the proper consistency, but, it yielded 11 1/2 jars of jam! I was able to give one jar of hot jam, along with a jar of chutney, to M who was just finishing up in the garden; this picture was taken after I gave him his jar of jam:
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| Cinnamon Peach Jam |
These peaches have a natural red tinge and the peach and sugar mixture turned a rosy color even before I added the cinnamon. Several of these jars of jam will be given away as holiday gifts, but, the half jar is for my immediate use.
Today, I am grateful for:
- My little peach tree
- M and all the care he lavished on the tree to ensure a good crop
- The availability of sugar to make the jam
- Canning jars
- Being able to get a start on the holiday gifts
My joyful activity today was making jam.
How was your Friday? Do you have a favorite jam recipe? Have you made peach jam?
Well done! You've had a good harvest from the peach tree - is this the second year?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Eileen. Yes, this is the second year, but, I lost all the fruit, last year, due to a heat wave and insufficient watering. All the fruit just dropped from the tree while they were still tiny.
DeleteThat looks so good. It's a lot of work, though.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a lot of work. Halfway through, I thought maybe I should have tried using that box of pectin that I have in the cupboard - it's probably expired, but, it might have helped the jam to gel sooner!
DeleteI have only made peach jam once and it was disastrous! I must have boiled it too long because it actually turned into peach toffee. The children loved it :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm sorry it turned into toffee instead of jam! But, it sounds like it was enjoyed by certain members of the family, though. :)
DeleteYour jam is beautiful and that gift will make someone really happy later in the year.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne. I look forward to gifting them and hope they will be enjoyed by those who receive them. :)
DeleteI think I might just have to buy some peaches and make this jam. You've enjoyed a plentiful crop this year. X
ReplyDeleteI hope you are able to make some peach jam, Jules. The tree did provide me a good crop of peaches, this year! :)
DeleteThe jam looks lovely! I'm glad you have cooler weather. I wouldn't want to make jam right now, it is 95°F and humid again. I did get some cleaning done yesterday and today I did a little bathroom cleaning but not much else as I woke up tired, probably because I hadn't caught up on lack of sleep Thursday night. But that night I did see fireflies in the yard from the window during my night wanderings and a luna moth batted against the window screen!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bushlady. Yes, I am glad I have cooler weather right now for making jam, etc. Usually, I'm in the kitchen making chutney and jam with the fans blowing on me because it is so hot!
Delete95F is too hot to clean house! Just do the bare essentials and catch up on things, later, when it might be cooler!
Wonderful work! Your jam sounds delicious. The peaches look very plump and healthy. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stephenie. Feels good to have made a start on the holiday gifts! :)
DeleteYour peach jam looks so good.
ReplyDeleteI’ve made small amount of strawberry jam and pineapple jam a couple of times. One of these days I’d like to learn how to can.
Thank you, Nil. I've made strawberry jam, but, not pineapple jam. Not yet, anyway.
DeleteI am canning more peaches, today. Apparently one needs a pressure canner to can vegetables, but, I don't have a pressure canner, so I won't be doing vegetables.
That little peach tree has done you well. And you have done remarkably well by harvesting and preserving every single piece of fruit. It has been hard work but you must be very happy with the outcome. I'm so glad you rewarded M for his nurturing of the little tree as well.
ReplyDeleteThe tree really came through for me, this year, didn't it? Yes, I'm happy to say that I utilized every single fruit that we didn't thin out! I would have utilized those, too, if I could have! LOL.
DeleteYou've been so busy with that productive peach tree and the jam looks so good.
ReplyDeleteIt's officially summer now so I think you should have a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream with some of your peach jam drizzled over it.
Thank you, Debra. I am looking forward to enjoying some of my jam (I need to buy bread!) As for vanilla ice cream, you don't know how much I want some! :)
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