This combination is going to involve your freezer, as I’m sure that rhubarb and peaches never overlap seasonally, in any part of the country. As you may recall, I froze rhubarb a few weeks ago, and when I received 10lbs of the season’s first peaches from my fruit fairy, the marriage of rhubarb & peach fulfilled its delicious destiny.

I pulled this recipe together based on inspiration (and safe, tested recipes) from Christine Ferber and Linda Ziedrich. Also, I only used as much rhubarb as I had, so feel free to double this recipe if you find yourself with more produce.

Rhubarb Peach Jam

yields 3 half-pints and a smidge for the fridge

1. Combine in a heavy-bottomed pot or preserving pan:

• 13 oz chopped peaches (you can leave the skin on)
• 13 oz 1/2-inch sectioned, chopped rhubarb
• 1lb-1oz (or 2 heaping cups) sugar
• 3 Tbs lemon juice, the amount of juice from one small lemon
• pinch of nutmeg (fresh-shaved if you’ve got a whole kernel!)

2. Turn on the heat at medium-low to melt the sugar and bring to a simmer. Remove pot from heat and pour contents into a bowl and place it in the fridge overnight (or put preserving pan directly in fridge, if it fits).

3. The next day (or evening) bring contents to a boil over medium-high heat, if you’d like a less-preserves-and-more-jam consistency, mash it up with a potato masher. Boil the mixture for about 10-12 minutes, until the bubbles have become larger, darker and more spaced out. Alternately, check for set by using a thermometer; your mixture will read 220-221 degrees F.

I infused a the mixture with mint to see how it would taste and the verdict is Yum! Purists may ignore this optional step:

3a. Place a few sprigs of mint in the pot after your mixture has reached a set and let it steep covered for 5 minutes, and then pull it out before you ladle the jam into jars.

4. Ladle hot mixture into hot jars. Wipe rims with a clean, damp cloth and seal with two-piece lids. Process in boiling waterbath for 10 minutes. Or just store them in the fridge and eat or give away to (local) friends within a month.

(People new to this blog, please consult Chapter 9 in my book and visit the small-batch canning basics archives for more information on basic canning safety practices).