Easy Peach Jam. It's True.

Here in Eilat, there are definitely some things that I miss.

I see big things on your horizon...big things like big tubs of jam

I miss thrift stores. I miss quality baking chocolate. I miss my food processor. I miss cold weather (sometimes).

But I feel most profoundly the absence of certain organic foods. I won’t go into a huge explanation (yet) on why I purchase most of my groceries organically, but the fact is that if a fruit or vegetable is not organic, I typically don’t buy it. So it pains me to see all these beautiful bananas, apples, bunches of herbs, cucumbers, etc., that I know are grown right here in Israel, yet an organic one is nary to be found. The fact is that organic does exist all over Israel…just not in Eilat, apparently. And all the huge grocery stores do have an organic dry goods section the length of a small car, but a diet of organic grains and pasta just isn't gonna cut it for the Chowgypsy.

you're soooo totally organic and special

But I do have one salvation. In a space the size of a small classroom, nestled within an industrial park on the outskirts of town, is my new best fried: Bereshit ("bear-eh-sheet," not "bear-shit") Natural Store. It is, in fact, one of the reasons John and I chose the apartment where we live—it’s only about a 10 minute walk from here. Due to its size, the  selection is limited, but as it sells dried foods in bulk, loose-leaf teas, peanut butter (!), and a small selection of produce, I am burdened with significantly less anxiety than if Eilat was completely organic-less.

So when the new shipments come in every Thursday, I am one of the first ones at the store.

As I’m typing this, I wish that my wonderfully cynical friend Tyler were here to make fun of me, because this is indeed what my life has become: anticipating daily what this week’s new shipment of organic produce will be. It’s like a slightly pathetic scene from Portlandia.

We're going places together. You and me. And then I'm going to spill jam all over my purse.

Back to the point: I’ve notably missed jam. What is a huge vat of peanut butter without some equally delicious jam to give it a big, sloppy high-five? Bereshit does have organic jam, actually, but I can’t vibe with the notion of paying nearly five dollars for a tiny jar of the stuff. It is not the Chowgypsy way. Plus, I go to town with my PB&Js—that jam wouldn’t last a week in my house. And finally, take a look at the jams and jellies you buy in the store—most have wayyy too much added sugar (I used part-honey with this jam), and many have even started adding high fructose corn syrup! Why oh why must they make simple foods more complex with unhealthy and unnecessary ingredients?

So I’ve been watching…waiting... for a jammable and organic fruit. When I saw the shipment of beautiful if unripe peaches last Thursday morning, I made my move.

Now, I’m not trying to get into preserving with this recipe—it’s a hot, messy process that’s meant for a larger and more-air conditioned kitchen than mine. But the thing is, this recipe is so easy that I’ll have no problem with making it every two weeks or so and storing it in the refrigerator.

Let the sugar do the work

sugar + time= released peach juice

A lot of people shy away from making their own jams because it seems like a daunting task, but lucky for you, this could honestly be prepared by a five-year-old. That is, unless you’re not ok with five-year-olds wielding kitchen knives. Ok, just make it yourself. I spent less than 30 minutes of actual work in preparing my peach jam. There is more time spent letting the fruit sit to release their juices, but during that time, you can do whatever you want! So go for a hike, run some errands, or just sit and stare at the wall for several hours. It’s your world.

So enough talk, let’s jam.

Amazingly Easy Peach Jam
Makes about 3 cups. It's perfect amount to last two people for a couple weeks, so double (or triple!? You're crazy.) as needed. Feel free to use all sugar and no honey or vice versa. Recipe inspired by Joelle's French Apricot Jam
Ingredients
· 8 very ripe peaches
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 1/4 cup honey
· 2 tbs lemon juice
· 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
· 1 tsp cinnamon
· 2 tbs fruit juice concentrate (optional--I've used goji berry and cranberry/apple before just because they happened to be on-hand)

Directions
Quarter all the peaches and remove the pits. Place in a cooking pot, cover with the rest of the ingredients. Let sit for 3-6 hours. Give it a stir now and then if you’re around.

sweeten 'em	sweat 'em
simmer	'n' blend

You’ll see that the peaches have released a lot of juice after a few hours, so at this point set the pot on a burner and bring the mixture to a boil. Immediately turn the heat to low and simmer for about 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, or as long as it takes to get to your desired consistency (remember, some batches are going to be juicer than others, so I can’t give you an exact time here). Once the liquid has reduced a bit, take out that immersion blender and go to town, making the jam as smooth or chunky as you like. If you have no immersion blender, 1. Why not? 2. Transfer the jam in batches to your blender or food processor and go to town. If the jam seems especially liquidy, just cook for a while longer.

Taste, add more cinnamon, sugar, or vanilla to taste, bearing in mind that the flavors will strengthen over the next day.

Aaaaaand, we’re done!

Everybody jump in!

What is this, you ask? Only the best breakfast combination of breadless PB&J ever.

The Savings: Let's get this straight: It is always much, much cheaper to make your own preserves. There is no argument, and it's surprisingly easy. A jar of high-quality store-bought jam (meaning no added thickeners or high fructose corn syrup!) runs at about $4 for four ounces--that's $16 per pound! Clearly, if you buy peaches at around $2-4 per pound and factor in the cost of sweetener, you're still paying less than half for something fresh and homemade!