Hello peaches…

Oh peaches… why do you only come along for a few weeks every summer and then disappear again?  Our season for peaches in Arizona is desperately short, but so well lived in those fleeting moments.  If you were one of the lucky ones who grabbed some at the Town & Country Market yesterday, then you know.  I may have had one before I left the market.  I had juice running down the hands and ended up being quite a mess, but it was so sweet and fresh that I couldn’t wait to be polite about it.

When I got back to the farm yesterday, Marsha had a pot brewing on the stove top that made the whole kitchen smell like peaches.  She was kind enough to offer me half a flat of them and the below recipe.  The flat was so ripe, that they were only going to last another day or two, so she told me how to make them, so we could keep them longer in the refrigerator or freezer.  (FYI… this recipe is not an exact science, it is more a happy accident.)

Marsha’s Peaches 

18-20 or so ripe peaches  (these were small, adjust accordingly)
1 1/2 cups of sugar (you heard me)
A pinch or two of cinnamon
A pinch of cloves or nutmeg
1/2 a lemon

Blanch the peaches first.  Put them in batches in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.  Only put enough in the pot so that they all have a chance to float and are not crowded.  Then take them out with a slotted spoon and let them cool in a colander while you boil the rest.  Run a little cold water over them, if they are too hot to touch.  The skins should peel off easily in your hands.  If the peach isn’t fully ripe, the skin won’t come off.  Cut the peach up and take the seed out.  Add the peaches, sugar and cinnamon into a pan and bring to a low simmer (medium/low heat) on the stove top for 15-20 minutes.  Allow the juice from the peaches to reduce a little so they thicken up.  Squeeze the juice from half a lemon over the top.  Stir occasionally.  The peaches should be soft, but not mushy.  These will keep if covered in the refrigerator, or you can freeze them for later.

These peaches were unbelievable.  I couldn’t keep from taste testing as I went.  They would be perfect over ice cream or a slice of pound cake, mixed in with a little yogurt or oatmeal for breakfast, or even with roasted pork.  Or, you could eat them straight from the bowl after dinner, like we did.  Needless to say, there wasn’t any left for refrigerating or freezing.

Although, I did save enough to take a little of juice and puree and mixed it with a nice Italian Prosecco, which made for a quite lovely Bellini.

Bellissimo!

P.S.  We have one more Saturday at the Old Town Farmer’s Market in Scottsdale.  Hope to see you there!  We will still be at the Town & Country Market on Wednesday through June 20th.