their market (and more jam)

Sophia and Daniel spend a lot of time dreaming of the future, when they plan to open their own bakery. They've already asked to have some of my recipes on hand (and my help in the kitchen) when the time comes.

In the meantime, they have been honing their business skills with their very own streetside market. The other morning, Sophia and Daniel's market was open for business. With signs posted along the streets and the call sent out to friends and family, they filled their tables and waited for costumers.

At their market one could find packages of acorn caps, paper airplanes, fresh picked peaches, homegrown tomatoes, bundles of fresh herbs, pinecones, fans, and finger-knitted creations. A steady stream of customers visited throughout the day, and at the close of business, the market was pretty well sold out!

While they busied themselves with their sales out front, I got down to business with the 30-some pounds of peaches we brought home from Michigan.



With a recipe from my sister and a few changes of my own, I made a mighty fine batch of Peach Lavender Jam.

Peach Lavender Jam

2 Tbsp. Lavender flowers
1/2 cup boiling water
4 cups finely chopped peaches
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
sugar and honey to sweeten
ground cinnamon
Pomona's Universal Pectin and calcium water

In a small bowl, steep the lavender flowers in boiling water for about 20 minutes. Strain out the flowers, reserving the liquid. Combine the lavender liquid, peaches and lemon juice in a heavy pot. Stir in 4 tsp. of calcium water (included in Pomona's Pectin package).

In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix desired amount of sweetener (we used about 1/2 cup each of sugar and honey) with 3 tsp. pectin powder. Bring fruit to a boil, add pectin-sweetener mixture and a sprinkling of cinnamon, stirring vigorously for 2 minutes until dissolved. Return to boil and remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, place tops, and boil jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.



This jam is fresh and tart, with a light lavender flavor that seems just right for capturing the flavors of the season. It's gotten the seal of approval around here, so I wouldn't be surprised if you can find some at a local Sophia and Daniel's Bakery soon (just ask the manager, Charlotte, for the August special!).