Everyone knows Georgia is the Peach state. I was raised in Northern California where you could walk out and pick a peach fresh off the tree and eat it. You had to lean over the way you do with a fresh Philly Cheesesteack sandwich, because the juices will be flowing. Even then the fresh peach juice would be dripping off your lips and on your nose (they are huge peaches) and running down your arm to your elbow. Then when I got here to Atlanta, and everyone knows Georgia is the Peach state is was so disappointed because the peaches we seem to get were a dismal distant cousin of those peaches of my youth decades ago. Then I met my good friend Lou Anne who called herself a SoCarPeach… what? A South Carolina Peach… ah, and then she took me out to Gaffeny and I fond the greatest local peaches. Now in the 6 years since then I have also found plenty of good local middle Georgia farms that also have awesome peaches such as Dickey Farms www.gapeaches.com

Creating new and intriguing flavor combinations for salsa seems to have become the sign of nouvelle cuisine. What began as a spicy blend of tomatoes, peppers, onion and cilantro has expanded to include pineapple, mango, peaches and even citrus fruits. Peach Salsa is a nice soft taste and texture combination that I would have never considered decades ago when I lived out West. If you plan to take advantage of your harvest, you should plan to make a couple of jars of different kinds of salsas.  This recipe makes a little over 2 pints, with a little left over to nibble on right away. Our family eats a half pint at a time. These should be eaten up in 6 months for best flavor and color. As this is a cold pack, hot water bath you could triple it and make a whole canner load at a time.

Peach Salsa Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups fresh peaches, peeled and coarsely chopped (5 medium- 6 small)
• 3/4 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (4-5)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely minced, 1-2 tablespoons - 1/4 cup
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (5%)
• 1 teaspoon  Homemade-Chili-Powder, add a pinch of ground red pepper (Cayenne)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher pickling salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method of Making Peach Salsa

Step 1 Making Peach Salsa

Combine all the Peach Salsa Ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl, glass, or plastic, and cover eight - ten hours or overnight. I make mine in the morning and process the Peach Salsa right before dinner, so we can use the leftovers for dinner.

Step 2 Prepare for Processing the Peach Salsa

Get the jars and lids sterilizing the dishwasher is fine for the jars. Be sure to let it go through the rinse cycle to get rid of any soap!  It's also a good time to start heating up the water in the canner and the small pan of water to boil the lids. Personally the trick I use is that I ran the jars through whatever my last load of dishes was and then leave them in the dishwasher. (I think I am like a lot of people in that I pre-rinse most of my dishes before loading them in the dishwasher anyway, right?) Then after washing with soap and other dishes, I just wash them again with no soap.

At this point where you are ready to start Processing your Peach Salsa, go ahead and get the water-bath canner water started heating. Let it get up to a boil. Keep the lid on it to retain heat and steam evaporation.

Lids:  Put the lids into a pan of boiling water for at least several minutes. This helps soften the sealing compound of the lid. This is why the little lid lifter with the magnet is cool, because they get very hot. I have also found it good to layer my lids in an alternating fashion in the pan, so they don't stick to each other.

Step 3 Canning the Peach Salsa

Immediately ladle the Peach Salsa into the hot sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/2 headspace.   Make sure you wipe down the rims of the jars, and carefully seat the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them.  Be sure the contact surfaces (top of the jar and underside of the ring) are clean to get a good seal!

Process the jars in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes for pints, and 12 minutes for half-pints at sea level. Start the timing when the water comes back to a boil. If you are at 1,001-3,000 feet, the time increases to 20 minutes per pint. If you are at these higher ranges, I would be very tempted to only use a pressure canner as to reduce the time and increase your safety factor.

Remove the jars carefully, and let cool on a clean towel. Wait till the next morning to check for correct seal. If not sealed, put in the refrigerator, and use with-in two weeks.

Notes about Peaches: