Yesterday, a friend and I embarked on a grand adventure to quench our thirst for knowledge. This particular quest was also to enhance our skills as domestic goddesses as we discovered how to make jam! Specifically delicious, glowing, peach jam. The peaches we used were so ripe they melted in your hands and mouth. They were the perfect peaches that you read about in books, where the juice drips down your chin... mmmmm...
The whole process of jam making was quite addictive. It felt very nostalgic to me, reminding me of when my mother used to make crab apple jelly. Now jelly and jam are two different matters! The difference happens to be that jelly is clear, free of solid fruit and jam is not. That I learned from
The Joy of Cooking. What a wealth of information is in that book! Every kitchen should have something comparable. I wonder why it took me so long to discover this? Another thing about making preserves is to me, it really speaks of an older time. A time when your neighbours were your closest friends and you paid particular heed to the seasons. Canning feels like fall and harvest. Yesterday, along with the peaches, I could almost smell autumn blowing in, and the leaves are definitely starting to turn.
With the end of the peaches, I made a perfectly beautiful peach cobbler - which I proceeded to drop on the floor as it was coming out of the oven! Only half of it was salvageable. It was such a shame that I had to go out and buy more peaches today. Round two, my second attempt, made it out in one piece! I was so proud! It was made with white flesh peaches, so I must also try it with yellow flesh... and perhaps add raspberries to the mix!
Here you see Eolande Ceidkeiypr picking a golden raspberry from my garden. Eolande is a lovely little elf who is responsible for collecting and keeping the perennial seeds safe and planting them again in spring. Watch for Eolande's adventures!
After we spent the majority of the morning and afternoon canning we had our closest friends over for a potluck dinner. I can't even begin to explain how happy events like that make me. I love being able to offer a place where friends can gather. I love feeding them. I love being a hostess and making sure everyone is happy and having a good time. Potlucks are wonderful - sharing food, recipes and conversation with friends. What could be better? Not much! Weeeell, maybe if you added costumes into that mix... Yes - I'd have to say that a potluck gathering at Hallowe'en is the most exciting social event for me to host! It's coming soon too! Every year I host a Hallowe'en gathering for my friends and it's always fun to think up new ideas for this event... Also, the costumes! I love sewing and costuming! There are so many things to do and plan! Though there are events before then that I'd also like to attend:
As well as all of those, there is tomorrow which is an especially wonderful event. September is full of "Troll Tuesdays" when Natalie (my best friend, studio mate and all around superb adventuring companion) and I will get together to work on trolls and faery folk - like this little fellow to the right - who is but a head... Tomorrow he will receive hands and feet! A body too if he promises to behave. I have a feeling that he's just waiting to get his fingers sticky in my jam...
Peach Cobbler: 6 cups peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp lemon zest, stir together in 9x9 casserole dish. Now, stir together 1 3/4 cup flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 4 tbsp chilled butter, 3/4 cup milk, kneed quickly and roll out on a floured board, cut into shapes or lattice and arrange over fruit, then brush with egg white. Bake @ 375F for 45-50min
