It was a race to get to the corner of Deer Park Road and The Silverado Trail on Sunday morning.  The Prize:  a flat of Dr Dinwiddie’s fabulous peaches, ripe and ready for us to claim them and make pies, jams, chutneys and just to eat, juicy and perfectly , gloriously peachy.  After we ate a few, I decided to make jam, using my Petaluma Peach Tart as inspiration.  This is those flavors without the crust.  It will be perfect to fold a crust around for a hand pie or just to spoon over ice cream or maybe to top an English muffin or whole wheat toast.

makes 4 quarts

6 pounds yellow freestone peaches

1 large lemon

5 pounds white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons almond extract

5 ounces natural, no salt pistachios

1 tablespoon fresh ginger zest

1.  Peel the peaches and slice into 1/2 inch segments.

2.  Slice the lemon lengthwise and then slice each half crosswise to make lemon confetti like.

3.  Put the peach slices, lemon confetti, sugar, almond extract, ginger zest and the pistachios in a large heavy pot or preserving pan and cook on medium high heat for about 30 minutes.  Make sure everything is completely cooked.

4.  Prepare the canning jars and lids.

5.  Pour the hot jam into the jars and seal.