I guess you could say I get a little Willie Wonka in the kitchen when it comes to making jams and jellies.  OH I followed the rules in the beginning.  Straight up recipes from that long folded up piece of paper in the Sure-Jel box or from my Ball Blue Book of Canning.  But that got boring and I quickly started mixing my fruits.  Just whatever odds and ends were left over from previous recipes that I had squirreled back into the fridge.  Those jellies were some of the tastiest.  The mixing of flavors were always a surprise because each batch came out slightly different depending on the what was added.  I was just good stuff!

Then one day I was running low on plum juice and happened to spy a bottle of red wine with a cup or so left.  Wine comes from fruit right.  Grapes right.  You can make jelly from grapes why not add that in.  Plum Drunk Jelly is the fastest moving jelly in our house.  And just like that my fascination with drunk jellies was born.

Last week I had the canning itch.  I needed to stand over a steamy pot of  hot, bubbling fruit and sugar and then put a lid on it!  I had bought a good deal of Arkansas peaches on a trip to Harp’s the week or so before and stuck them into the extra fridge.  There they sat quite preserved yet forgotten.  So when the need to get jamming struck me I grabbed them.

The juice was running to my elbows as I pealed and chopped so I knew this was going to be a good jam.  And since I was highlighting a very traditional Southern fruit why not add in a very traditional Southern spirit.  Bourbon!

I cannot tell you how perfect this pairing is.  If you’ve never enjoyed a drink, dish or dessert showcasing these two then you are missing out.  As with most combination of fruit and liquor, the flavors intensify each other.

I haven’t come up with a good name for this jellied cocktail yet but the one thing you can definitely call it is good!

Confession: I ate that whole bowl by itself with a spoon! That good!

Bourbon Peach Jam Recipe

• 4-1/2 cups peaches peeled and chopped
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
• 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
• 5-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup bourbon

1. Preapre jars and lids.
2. Heat watter for canner.
3. Add peaches to a large stockpot and stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and cinnamon.
4. Stir the pectin into the fruit and spices. On high heat bring to a full rolling boil that can not be stired down. Stirring constantly add sugar. Bring the fruit and sugar mixture back to a full rolling boil and boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon.
5. Using a ladel pour the jelly into the prepared jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Wipe off any drippage from the rims and threads and secure tightly with lid and ring closures. Process in water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from bath and wait for the “ping” of success!