Spiced White Peach Jam

At the food co-operative where I work, we have an abundance of stone fruit right now. It is so ripe and ready, that you can't pass them up for another day! It happens sometimes though, that folks decide to buy peaches later in the week, and those peaches that are ready, just don't wait. So when my co-worker handed me a half of a case of bruised but perfectly ripe white peaches, I couldn't say no. It wasn't possible. The peaches wouldn't allow it. Besides, I had been thinking about peach jam. Opportunity just presented itself.

White peaches are similar in flavor to your everyday yellow peach, but with a bit of a mild honey, floral, and melon flavor. When eaten in their perfect ripeness the juice flows down to your elbow, and the flavor is exceptional! Since I was going to be working with white peaches, a touch more unusual than yellow peaches, I wanted a jam recipe that was a touch unusual as well. Peach jam is wonderful, but I wanted to add some other flavors that would highlight the white peaches. Brown sugar, ginger, and dark rum came to mind. With those flavors I kept thinking about the tropics and the spice trade, and so cardamon, cinnamon, and allspice made there way in as well. It all worked together very well, and I was happy with the end result!

Spiced White Peach Jam

4 cups white peaches, peeled, and chopped
6 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 tsp cardamon
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1-1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup dark spiced rum
1 Tbls butter (optional. it helps remove the foam)
1 package of liquid pectin

Prepare the fruit. In a large stock pot combine all of the above ingredients except the liquid pectin. Bring those ingredients to a rolling boil (a boil that keeps on boiling while you are stirring it). Add the liquid pectin, and continue to stir at a rolling boil for 1 minute. After 1 minute turn off the heat and ladle jam into prepared jars. Process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from the water bath, and allow to cool to room temperature. Share a jar with your neighbors and friends. Trade a jar for some freshly baked bread, and slather away! Belly up!!