Summertime! One of the best parts of summer is the abundance of fresh fruit. Jones Orchard supplies a lot of the fruit we use here at Muddy’s for our pies and it’s always one of my favorite stops at the farmers’ market (I usually go to the one downtown).
Some people get a little nervous about making jams, jellies, etc but here’s a tip… if you’re a beginner, start with a small batch and don’t fool with the pressure canning portion. Just make enough for a few jars, put them in the refrigerator, and eat them soon. This will give you a chance to play around a little with the flavors and get comfortable making your jams before going for the whole shebang.
The other day I was jonesing (ha!) for some peach preserves, so I whipped this little batch up. Yum!
Kat’s Ginger Peach Preserves
adapted from Darina Allen’s recipe in Forgotten Skills of Cooking
1 lb peeled and thinly sliced peaches
3/4 cup granulated sugar (warm in oven for 10 minutes at 300 degrees in a stainless steel or pyrex pan)
freshly squeezed juice of about half a lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Put fruit, lemon juice, vanilla, and ginger in a saucepan and simmer on medium heat. Cook about 10-15 minutes, until fruit is soft. Add the warmed sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5-7 minutes. If you prefer chunky preserves, don’t mash up the mixture. If you prefer a spreadable jam, use a potato masher to squish up the fruit.
Pour hot mixture in clean jars. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then cover and put in the fridge. Eat and enjoy!
Helpful tip: if you made it chunky you will probably have some syrup leftover after you’ve eaten all the fruit chunks. Don’t throw this away! It’s fabulous on top of ice cream. 
