Last Tuesday I joined two friends and we headed out to pick up some boxes of peaches. We had the choice of 10-pound flats or thirty-five pound boxes. I opted for the box.
Back home, I began to question my choice almost immediately. Dan had gotten a complete knee replacement for his right knee barely two weeks before and I'd been busy helping him. His recovery was going amazingly well, but still it was taking a toll on both of us. And now I'd added those peaches!!
First up, I decided to make a peach pie. I do believe that peach pie is my absolute favorite pie. And this one did not disappoint! Yum!! Now what to do? I decided to take the most bruised ones and slice them into a simple syrup and freeze. I got seven pints. They will be yummy for breakfast this winter, or perhaps for peach shortcake.
Next up was another pie, the first was just not enough!! Then I decided on jam. This entailed a trip to a store for pectin. I dropped Dan off for physical therapy and made a last minute decision to stop at Tri-State (known in its ads as "Idaho's Most Interesting Store". They have a great kitchen department and I knew they stocked many canning items. As I perused the aisles, I found not the usual MCP pectin in a box, but a jar by Ball. Intrigued, I checked closely and discovered that it was to be used by the tablespoon and could make as few as two 8-ounce jars or as many as ten in a batch. And it had recipes for using the usual amount of sugar or a reduced amount. Sold!!
Back home (after picking up Dan, of course) I began on the jam. I decided to go full bore and make ten jars and use the less sugar recipe. The difference was one cup of sugar versus one and two-thirds cups per two-jar recipe (multiplied by five for my ten jars). Oh, my goodness!! Such wonderful jam! Stirred into my homemade yogurt, just a teaspoon into half cup of the yogurt, it rivals, no surpasses, any purchased flavored yogurt.
 |
| The yogurt, and pie number two! |
 |
| The Ball brand pectin and finished product. |
The last of the peaches were used to make another peach pie which is safely stowed in the freezer for another day.
I highly recommend the Ball pectin. I used less than half the jar, and the ability to make small batches of jam when the mood and fruit strike is a huge plus.
It is so good to read a post from your keyboard! Yes -- things are changing in the world of pectin. I didn't know this until daughter Hallie and Nick came to my house with a brand I'd never heard of, and I admit that I was a bit put off at first. I was taught not to mess with pectin, and here they were in my kitchen using a dab of pectin and less sugar. I had good and bad results when I began to experiment and looked forward to more of the same this season, but alas! -- it won't happen this year due to kitchen remodel.
ReplyDeleteI remember that you told me about Hallie's pectin and then I heard it could be had at the Food Co-op. I don't know how it compares to the Ball product, but I'm sure sold on it. Maybe a small batch of something could be made in your town kitchen?
DeleteI really think that I prefer the traditional pectin brands. I love jelly-making as an example of vintage rural homemaking. And you're right -- I could make a small batch of jelly on my flat-top stove. And I even found a container of Ball "RealFruit Classic Pectin" on my shelf. As a plus, it's within its expiration date for another year!
DeleteWell would you look at that! You discovered the Ball pectin first!! You're set to go if you have a fit of jelly making. :-) I didn't realize you have a flat-top stove. Does that make it hard to can?
DeleteI think a had a few raspberries and sought pectin that could be used in a small amount.
ReplyDeleteYes, we have a flat-top stove (or whatever the official name is) here in town. If your pan covers the entire burner area, the burner won't heat. So, it won't accommodate a canning kettle. However, there are ways to get around that, especially with a small batch.
I'd heard that kind of stove was fussy, but I had no idea you couldn't use a canning kettle on one. So glad I never bought one!!
DeleteI knew this when I bought it. The salesman told me, but I wasn't a canner (cannist?) at that time, and I thought it wouldn't matter. And -- it's a low-end model. I should think about replacing it. (I won't go to Sears.)
Delete