Spirited Peaches

Ontario peaches are now in season as mentioned in yesterday's post.  I started off with 2 - 2 L baskets to try out a couple of new recipes.  This week I will be into my regular canning for peaches perhaps adding a new recipe or two but for the most part the peaches will be canned as quarter or slices.  Unlike the first peaches I started with and pictured below the peaches for the main canning sessions will come directly from the orchard.  We a doing a foodie road trip this week to pick up in season fruits and vegetables that will include peaches.  I would like to get these canned up before starting tomatoes which also starts this week so there will be a few busy days ahead.

Peaches come in two varieties with respect to the pit.  By far the easiest peach to prepare for canning has a cling-free pit.  What this means is the pit will pull freely from the fruit.  Some peach cultivars are not cling-free so the meat of the fruit sticks firmly to the pit.  These cultivars are a lot more difficult to prepare for canning.

The general recommendation for peeling peaches is to dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds then slip the skin similar to the way you would slip the skins from tomatoes.  A method I like using for firm, ripe  peaches is scoring to the pit to form quarters.  A little twist of the knife will release the first quarter and the others can easily be removed from the pit.  A couple of passes of the knife quickly removes the skin.  Then I turn the quarter on one edge and slice through to form two slices.  When it comes to any food prep for canning use the method that works for you. 

I was testing two variables in this small canning batch.  First, as you know if you have been following this blog I have been testing out the Tattler reusable canning lids.  The second variable was adding spirits (eg. alcohol) to the product which is something I don't do a lot of.  Adding alcohol gives a wonderful gourmet product but it makes the product less versatile in that it cannot be served to everyone.   Spirited peaches are delightful especially served with vanilla ice cream.

Spirited Peaches
source:  Garden Gnome

6 c prepared sliced peaches
¼ c preservative free lemon juice
4 c water

1 lemon
2½ c water
2 c organic sugar

8 tbsp peach schnapps

Mix lemon juice with 4 c water in large bowl.  Wash, peel, pit an slice the peaches place the prepared peach slices in the lemon water as you work.  Grate the rind of the lemon and place in medium sized sauce pan.  Squeeze juice from lemon and add to rind.  Stir in water and sugar.  Bring to a boil on high heat then boil gently for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Pour 2 tbsp peach snapps int prepared jars.  Pack jars with drained peach slices leaving ½ - inch headspace.  Ladle hot syrup over peaches leaving ½ - inch headspace.  Wipe the rim.  Adjust two piece snap lids (metal) or reusable Tattler lids on the jars.  Process for 20 minutes in BWB canner at altitudes to 1,000 feet above sea level or at high altitudes refer to altitude adjustment chart on canning information page.  Remove from canner.  Tighten ring if using Tattler lids.  Allow to cool 24 hours.  Remove rings and check for seal.  Wash jars and rings.  Rings can be placed loosely on the jars for storage.

Yield: 4 - 500 ml (pint) jars

Low Sugar Strawberry Jam

Strawberries are in season! We have been enjoying them fresh or sliced with fresh whipped cream. But the strawberry season is so short that we really need to preserve them for winter enjoyment. The first things that come to mind are jam, drying and freezing. This lovely batch went to making a gourmet, low sugar jam.

Local Strawberries

It's been a rather cold and wet spring in our area so the berries are a bit smaller. Our strawberry bed has not been re-established since the move. There was a small bed here but it was overgrown and weaving through evergreens so that was one of the beds we had to remove. My last beds were producing almost 2 quarts per day not quite enough for a batch of jam. Like many I go to a local U-pick for strawberries for larger quantities when my beds are not producing enough. Picking your own is cheaper than buying the strawberries already picked. The current price for already picked strawberries is $15 per flat (16 quarts). I seldom pick my own there simply because I like to get the jamming done in the early morning before the day heats up. What I look for when buying strawberries from the U-pick aside of the quality of the berries themselves is the temperature of the berries. I usually hit this one before 9 am. If the berries are cold to the touch it means they were picked the day before then refrigerated overnight. I don't want those. The berries picked that morning don't feel chilled and have a better flavour for making jam.

The first thing that comes to mind when you mention canning to anyone is jam followed by pickles. The question whether you are saving money making jam always arises. The answer is both yes and no. If you are buying at a U-pick, yes you will save a bit but per jar the cost will not be as low as jam bought from a dollar store. However, what you are getting is a high end, gourmet type jam so in that respect you are getting a high quality product for about half the price of store bought.

Low Sugar Strawberry Jam

My conventional recipe using regular pectin can be found here. here. For this recipe I use Pomona's Pectin for a few reasons. This pectin means you do not have to rely on sugar for the jam to set. That means I can use less sugar (cost savings) but end up with a higher quality fruit laden product. The down side is because unlike regular pectins that would call for 7 c of sugar per 5 c of fruit there is a lower yield. But that is more than acceptable for me given that I'm going after quality not quantity. This jam is well worth the extra costs.

I used organic sugar for this recipe. It was considerably less than the 7 c of sugar per 5 c of fruit the regular pectin called for. I only used 2 c of organic sugar per 4 cups. Even at that I think the next batch will be using 1½ c per 4 cups and I plan on making at least one batch using honey.

Low Sugar Strawberry Jam

8 c mashed strawberries*
2 c organic sugar**
4 tsp Pomona's pectin
4 tsp calcium water

Wash, hull and mash berries.

* Four quarts of strawberries.
** A sugar substitute can be used for this recipe. If using Spenda, use the same amount of ¾ - 2 c per 4 c of prepared fruit. If using honey, use ½ - 1 c per 4 c prepared fruit. Add the calcium water to the fruit and stir well. Measure the sugar or honey into a separate bow. Mix the pectin with it. Bring the fruit to a boil. Add the pectin mixture stirring vigorously for 1-2 minutes. Cook to dissolve pectin. Return to a boil then remove from the heat. Fill hot, sterilized jars leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe rims. Adjust tow piece lids. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath canner.

Yield 4 - 500 ml jars.