Peach Jam, or Marmalade

Instructions

1. The fruit for this preserve, which is a very delicious one, should be finely flavoured, and quite ripe, though perfectly sound.
2. Pare, stone, weigh, and boil it quickly for three-quarters of an hour, and do not fail to stir it often during the time.
3. Draw it from the fire, and mix with it ten ounces of well-refined sugar, rolled or beaten to powder, for each pound of the peaches.
4. Clear it carefully from scum, and boil it briskly for five minutes; then throw in the strained juice of one or two good lemons, continue the boiling for three minutes only, and pour out the marmalade.
5. Two minutes after the sugar is stirred to the fruit, add the blanched kernels of part of the peaches.
6. Proportions: Peaches, stoned and pared, 4 lbs.; 3/4 hour. Sugar, 2-1/2 lbs.: 2 minutes. Blanched peach-kernels: 3 minutes. Juice of 2 small lemons: 3 minutes.
7. Note: This jam, like most others, is improved by pressing the fruit through a sieve after it has been partially boiled. Nothing can be finer than its flavour, which would be injured by adding the sugar at first; and a larger proportion renders it cloyingly sweet. Nectarines and peaches mixed, make an admirable preserve.