Peaches - Not So Fuzzy Memories

Peaches at Home in Desserts and More

"An apple is an excellent thing -- until you have tried a peach." -- Georges du Maurier

My Polish grandmother ate peaches and cottage cheese for lunch every day of her life, or at least for the 26 years I knew her. She missed the peach trees that abounded in her native Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe so she settled for second best -- canned. Until mid-August, that is, when Phil, the fruit man, came calling.

"Peaches, get your ripe peeeee-chez," Phil would call from his truck.

He'd pick a shady spot, park and hang the weighing scale from a hook on the back of his rig. Busia was in her glory as she surveyed the fruit, trying to wangle a bargain for a bruised specimen. The enormous reddish-gold peaches, still fuzzy and straight off the tree, were the first she snapped up followed by plums.

I still remember being given a miser's cache of fruit as a special treat. Oh, those peaches! They were drip-down-the-chin juicy and lulled me into a sugar-induced nap on her back stairs.

Eastern European Peach Recipes

Prime Peach Time

August through mid-September is prime time for this fat-, sodium- and cholesterol-free fruit packed with vitamins A and C, and a mere 37 calories per medium peach. Peaches are at home in everything from appetizers to desserts, from savory foods to sweets.

What to Look For

When buying a peach, look for a sign that says tree-ripened for the best flavor, according to Don Baiers of the Michigan Peach Sponsors. They should be blemish-free, well-rounded, heavy and almost orange in color under a red blush. A ripe peach will give slightly when gently pressed with the thumb along the seam and should emit a sweet, spicy fragrance. Rock-hard peaches or those that are green or have wrinkled skin will never ripen properly.

Be Prepared

If you intend to can or make jam, choose ripe freestone varieties. Clingstones are too much trouble. The kind of peach you'll find at farm stands is fuzzy, not the supermarket type that has been picked green and sent through a washer and brusher before making its way across country. But fuzz is easily removed with a clean dish towel or by blanching and peeling.

Cooking with Peaches

The potential exists for so much more than cobbler, pie and melba. Peaches have a natural affinity for thyme, mint, cardamom and the pie spices of ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg. Peaches infused with green or black teas also are complementary.

Peaches pair well with corn, red onion, wild rice and chiles in savory foods, and caramelized peach wedges are a natural with grilled chicken, and grilled maple-syrup-brushed peach kebabs go great with pork.

Wines with Peach Desserts

When it comes to wine with peach desserts, pastry chef Gale Gand of Tru and Cenitare restaurants in Chicago, says in general sweet wines complement stone fruits.

"That's because they already have overtones of apricot, almond and nutty fruit flavors," Gand says.

Peach Handling

• Don't refrigerate a peach until it is ripe. Instead, leave it at room temperature in a fruit bowl for a day or so, shifting the fruit occasionally so it doesn't develop soft spots.
  
  
• Some peach pundits suggest ripening peaches in a brown paper bag at room temperature for one to two days, opening it every day to inspect and sniff for ripeness.
  
  
• Once ripe, store in the crisper bin of the refigerator for up to five days, but take them out 1 hour before eating for the best flavor.
  
  
• Wash peaches in cool water just before using and dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle cut peaches used in salads or fruit plates with lemon juice to help them retain their color.
  
  
• Ripe fruit often is easy to peel with a paring knife. If the skin clings to the flesh, cut a superficial X on the bottom of whole peaches and blanch them in boiling water for 20 seconds, more or less, depending on size. Then immediately shock in ice water until cold and peel.
  
  
• Pit freestone peaches by making a cut down to the stone along the seam. Twist halves in the opposite direction as you would for an avocado. Cling peaches must be cut away from the pit.
  
  
• To freeze, slice peeled peaches into a bowl; add citrus juice or Fruit Fresh (available at supermarkets) to inhibit browning. Transfer to freezer-weight plastic pags, pushing out as much air as possible, and seal. Or use plastic freezer containers, filling completely.
  Source: Del Monte