Yes, that's another name for this dish -- we always called it tutti frutti

Thanks again, Martha.

Also want the thank you Martha : ) After a lot of google searching (have never heard of this!) I ran across a photo of brandied peaches. How good would those be over french vanilla ice cream!

Yes, brandied fruit was an old time method of preserving fruit when you thought you might have enough jam made :). I've added a tablespoon or two of brandy when I just can peaches -- gives them a little kick!

My Aunt LulaBelle used to make a "Rumtopf" every year, starting with the first fruits that ripened (usually strawberries), then adding fruit/sugar/rum as other fruits became available. She let it sit until Christmas then used it over pound cake as a topping. The "ladies" would dip out the rum/juice and mix it with 7Up for "spritzers".

Her sister, my Aunt Ellen, preferred something she called Cherry Bounce. Cherries and vodka, same procedure, and she sampled regularly, didn't wait until Christmas, LOL.

I do can brandied sweet cherries regularly so I can make AnnT's brandied cherry candy, but that's the only thing we use them for.

Do you find that blueberries/blackberries/plums make the mixture too dark? Not that appearance matters more than taste, of course, but we always avoided the dark fruit and tried to only use the lighter ones, so they were "prettier". Not that anyone noticed after eating a bit of it, I don't think, LOL.

Annie

Annie -- we use ours on ice cream and pound cake. It elevates both to a company dessert!

If I do blueberries it's just a handful as they tend to be tough but I do use blackberries. But yes, my mixture is "dark". I use brandy instead of rum and I only add the brandy once -- at the beginning.

I added some brandy to my jalapeño peach jam last summer, and just the tiniest amount (1/8 tsp) liquid smoke to the whole batch.

There are those who like it, and those who love it.

Others are too terrified to try it. I think I was heavy handed with the brandy.

*grin*

dave