Blueberry-peach jam.

Lewisburg.

We have - at long last - a fully-functioning kitchen. Or as close as we're going to get.



With shelves - so that we're no longer digging spices out of boxes and bubble wrap - and counter space - so that cooking needn't be intensely choreographed - we can finally make food like we're used to. Like yesterday's foray into jam-making.

We missed the boat for strawberry jam; it wasn't possible before we moved, which coincided with the end of the season anyway. So far, we haven't had much luck finding orchards that offer pick-you-own - one for sour cherries; another for blueberries - so our options are rather limited. Facing the prospect of no homemade jam, for ourselves or for holiday gifts, we decided to see what we could do with blueberries.

My mom had suggested blueberry-peach jam, which she'd made years ago, long before she gave us her old canning equipment. So, armed with ten quarts¹ of handpicked blueberries and a big basket of peach "seconds", we went to work.

Sharon found a recipe for a spiced blueberry-peach jam from the "National Center for Home Food Preservation" online, which seemed as good a place to start as any. We didn't mess with it too much, except to change the spices: keep the cinnamon, but swap out the cloves and allspice for star anise and lavender. That, and to double the recipe, which produced well more than twice their estimated yield.

This seems to happen to me with some regularity. I always end up with more jam than the recipe thinks I might. This is only a problem when there aren't enough clean jars and I'm busy trying to deal with the spilled jam that's managed to catch fire beneath the electric burner, licking flames up the sides of the pot. It certainly added a little excitement to the day.

But the result was a definite success, coupled with a fair amount of cleaning:

Blueberry-peach jam with star anise and lavender
Makes about 4 pints

Ingredients

• 4 cups blueberries
  
• 4 cups peaches, chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• ½ cup water
  
• 5½ cups sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
  
• 1 3-inch stick cinnamon
  
• 4 points star anise
  
• ½ tablespoon dried lavender

Directions

1. Place the water in a small saucepan with the cinnamon and star anise. Bring just to a boil, then cover and remove from the heat. Allow to steep at least thirty minutes before removing the spices.
   
   
2. Place the spice-infused water, fruit, and lemon juice to a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for ten minutes., stirring occasionally.
   
   
3. Add the salt, sugar, and lavender, stirring to dissolve. Bring back to the boil, and stir constantly until the jam thickens. Remove from the heat.
   
   
4. If canning into pint or half-pint jars, leave ¼-inch headspace and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Alternately, refrigerate and use immediately.

Just try not to eat it all in one sitting.

Edit: I've revised the quantities of spices in the jam; I'd originally listed them as I'd measured for the doubled recipe.

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¹Not that all of those were ever destined for jam. There are two pies' worth in the freezer, as well as a bunch of small bags set to go for pancakes, muffins, or whatever sounds good. Then there's the pandowdy recipe that looks good - something like a cobbler - and blueberry pancakes planned for brunch on Sunday.