Peach Jam

This was a bumper year for peaches here in Virginia. Rather than making plain jam, I decided to add a few spices. It turned out fantastic. Sadly, we are almost through our last jar.  Luckily, I have some concord grapes that are just begging to be made into jelly. Look for that recipe soon.

Ingredients:

• 3 C. chopped peaches (peeled and pitted) - about 6 large peaches
• 1 1/2 C. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg

To peel the peaches, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the peaches a few at a time and leave them in the boiling water for 30-60 seconds (depending on their ripeness). Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and put them into a bowl of ice water (alternately, you could use a colander and running water). Once the peaches are cool, the skins should come right off with your fingers.

Pit and chop the peaches and place them in a large saucepan, along with the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the jam begins to thicken. You may need to mash the peaches slightly to move things along. Cool the jam for about 10 minutes, then pour into a clean jar and cool completely before covering and refrigerating. The jam should last several weeks in the refrigerator.