Peach Lavender Jam and etc.

The canning madness really hit me hard this year.

I'm not sure why.  Maybe because my mom gifted me this awesome book last Christmas.

Maybe because we'll be moving soon and I wanted to get the last and best out of Oregon's summer produce.

Maybe because we don't know where we'll be moving to and I'd rather stress about canning than the potentially life-altering catastrophes ahead.

Just kidding, it'll be totally fine.  Everything is fine!  Everything will be fine.

Right?

Man, I wish I was canning something RIGHT NOW.

*Ahem*  So anyway.  Here's what I did!

Whole grain mustard and Mediterranean tomatoes.

In the back are my amaretto peaches.  Why did they all float up to the top like that???

A close-up on the star anise at the bottom of my pear butter.

Pickled garlic, peach salsa.

More tomatoes and raspberry vanilla bean jam.  I like how you can see the little oregano leaves in the tomatoes.

Pickles, wild Oregon grape jam, and my personal favorite and least photogenic, peach lavender jam.

The peach lavender is truly phenomenal jam.

Peach Lavender Jam
adapted from Southern Living's Little Jars, Big Flavors

Makes 7 (1/2) pint jars

2 1/2 lbs fresh peaches
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (1 3/4 oz) package powdered pectin
2 tablespoons lavender buds
5 cups sugar

Bring large pot to a boil, sterilize jars therein for 10 minutes.  Put rings and lids in heatproof bowl, ladle boiling water on top.

While jars are boiling, peel peaches, remove pits and coarsely chop.  Mash with a potato masher until evenly crushed.  Measure 4 cups crushed peaches into a 6-qt pot.  Stir in lemon juice, pectin and lavender.  Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add sugar and return to a rolling boil.  Boil 1 minute again, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, let foam settle (about 1 minute).  Skim off and discard any foam.

Fill, seal, and process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Be sure to clean off jar rims before putting on lids.

Remove jars from water and allow to stand at room temperature 24 hours.  To check seals, remove the bands and press down on the center of each lid.  If the lid doesn't move, the jar is sealed.  If the lid depresses and pops up again, the jar is not sealed and contents will need to be refrigerated right away.  Store properly sealed jars in a cool, dark place up to 1 year.  Refrigerate after opening.

Blood Orange Marmalade

What are your thoughts on marmalade?

I really am on a bitter kick lately, although wait be fair!  This is only just a little, teensy weensy bit bitter.

The peel is softened overnight, soaked in water and juice to lose most of its bite.

Most of it...not all.

Strawberry jam it ain't, is all I'm saying.

But friends and neighbors if you put this junk on a bakery-fresh English muffin you picked up while jogging (jogging with muffins in hands is an acceptable way to add strength-training to your cardio regime)...

Top it with clotted cream, which is like butter but creamier and without the salt.  Like if whipped cream and butter had a baby...

And then dollop on this bittersweet madness, you will just go to food heaven.

You will, I promise.

Sort out your affairs, because it will be the end.

Blood Orange Marmalade
adapted from the love website Food in Jars

1 lb blood oranges (4-5 medium sized fruits)
2 1/2 cups white sugar

Wash oranges well.  Trim away ends and slice in half.  Core with very sharp knife, removing white inside.  Pluck out any seeds you see.  Keep ends and cores for now.

Halve oranges and slice them very thin, about 1/8 inch thickness.  Keep slices together in shape and cut again, quartering the orange.  You should have little triangles of orange.

Bundle up seeds and cores in cheesecloth and tie tightly.  Place chopped oranges and cheesecloth bundle in a medium bowl.  Cover with about 3 cups of water, chill overnight.

Discard cheesecloth bundle.  Combine remaining fruit and water with white sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring marmalade mix to a simmer and cook until reduced by more than half and sugar thermometer reads 220.  When it is finished, pour into prepared jars.  Wipe rims and put on lids, turning them to 'fingertip tightness'.

Submerge jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes,*  Leave to dry and seal overnight.

*!arning, read up on canning here if this is your first attempt.  I can't take responsibility for anybody's botulism!  But really, it's pretty easy once you know the rules.  The botulism-destroying rules.