Pineapple and Pineapple Guava Jam

 Last weekend, my neighbor, Joanna, asked me if I wanted some guavas. Even though we've been living here for almost 29 years, I never knew there was a pineapple guava tree in her side yard. I've usually been pretty good at spotting fruit trees. I found a whole parking lot full of oranges last week! But, I never noticed these little green fruits hanging in that tree. It may be because the fruits of this tree are almost the exact same size and shape as the leaves. I had never eaten them before and had no idea how they would taste.

 Joanna said that she had been snacking on them and had also added them to a fruit salad for Thanksgiving. To eat them, you cut them in half and scoop them out, as shown above. They have a unique tropical flavor and scent. Apparently, the larger ones can become quite soft and transparent when ripe. These little guys taste a little bit like pears, but again, there is something truly unique that is unlike any other flavor.

Surprisingly, many of the recipes for guava jam that I found online had spices added to them. I like warm and spicy things for winter, but I thought that would just cover up the uniquely fresh taste of these tropical fruits. Instead, I decided to round out the flavor with pineapple. (You know me, I'm liable to throw pineapple into just about anything.) Per my research, guavas are high in pectin, so I did not use commercial pectin. The jam came out a little saucy, but delicious. I think I pulled it off the heat a little soon for fear it would scorch. The texture I got is similar to pineapple ice cream topping. There's nothing wrong with that!

Pineapple and Pineapple Guava Jam
4 cups pineapple guava pulp
2 cups pineapple (I used canned crushed pineapple in juice)
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 cups sugar

Prepare 5 half pint jars and lids and the boiling water bath. Place some spoons and saucers in the freezer.

Place all the ingredients into a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring frequently, until thick. The pineapple guava may float. To prevent this, mash them with a potato masher while cooking. Test on a frozen spoon or saucer. Once the jam cools, if it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it is done - about 220 degrees. Remove from heat and skim any foam. Stir for one minute to distribute the fruit. Carefully ladle into hot jars, wipe the rims and close the lids. Process in the boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Carefully remove to a towel lined tray and allow to cool overnight. Label in the morning.

Makes 5 half pints.