Peach jam. More accurately, this is probably considered peach compote. Did you know for the FDA to label something “jam” it needs to be about 55% sugar whereas a compote is slow cooked fruit in a sugar syrup.
Now, I’m not one to meticulously read labels or make everything homemade to avoid weird ingredients (hi, I love diet coke) but other than orange marmalade (my #1 favourite, I’m totally an old lady, spread) I make my own jam. Compote. Stewed fruit to spread on lightly toasted buttery bread. It just tastes better and there is 1-2 tablespoons of sugar instead of 55% sugar.
According to the Vineland Growers Co-Operative, 98% of Ontario’s peach crop comes from the Niagara Region. And yet, even though we’re in the height of peach season, in the last 3 weeks I’ve yet to have 1 good peach from the grocery store. I’ve waited till they smell sweet and are soft to the touch but they have still been a little tart. Not good enough.
So I made jam. Any fruit can be made better with a little heat and a little sugar. And a little cinnamon because I love cinnamon and peaches so much.
Do you want the easiest recipe that can hardly be considered a recipe?
[yumprint-recipe id=’6′]
ps: these peaches and cream cookies are also really, really good.
smitten 
Yummy. I just made my first jam/compote with Saskatoon berries. So easy. So delicious.
Do you think this would work with apples? I have a TON of apples, gifted from a friend who couldn’t keep up with harvesting them from her yard and I’m running out of ideas aside from crisps.
I definitely think so. Look up a recipe for apple butter; that would be good too. Or you could dice, add a bit of sugar and cinnamon, and cook down till soft but not mushy and stir into plain yougart.
Does Liam like baked apples? My grandma used to cut off the tops, core the middle while keeping the apple intact, and then put in a pat of butter and brown sugar, bake, and then top with yougart or ice cream. Good dessert/snack alternative. Probably a lengthy process, but slicing and drying them out in the oven for “chips” or dehydrated apple slices.
Peaches really just might be my favorite. Really. The ones in the market though are so blah. I need to see if I can find a farm stand this weekend.
everything we get in store are local Niagara peaches but they haven’t been good; 3L are so inexpensive I bought them to make jam but for eating, will get nectarines every time.
even though i’m not a peach skin fan – peach pit, i’m a big fan of – the idea of peach jam is really delicious.
*shudders* peach fuzz.
I did peel and use one of the ripe ones layered in caprese, that was delicious.