Picking Perfect Peaches
Peach Preparation Tips, Gadgets and Recipes
This summer peaches have been readily available and are on sale everywhere.Roadside stands have bushels of them. Just the smell of them as you pass by will have you wanting to bring some home with you. My family loves eating peaches fresh as a snack and as a part of breakfast. My son eats them chopped up and drizzled with a little honey.
I enjoy canning all different types of fruit. I have made peach jam, peach cobbler, froze some and I even put some in my dehydrator! My husband, the grill master, skewers them and brushes with honey, sprinkles with cinnamon and he's made a delicious desert for us.
Having the right tools for preparation makes getting the peaches ready for recipes a lot easier. Read on for some handy tips and delicious recipes.
August is National Peach Month
How To Choose A Fresh Juicy Peach
If you don't have a peach tree in your front yard you can still enjoy a succulent peach. I usually shop at farmers markets for my fruits and vegetables. I like locally grown fruit and it supports the farmers that live in my area. Even grocery stores are getting a better selection of fruits.
To choose a peach pick it up and smell it. It should smell sweet and peachy. The flesh should have a slight give, but use your whole hand vs. fingertips to check since the fruit bruises so easily. Inspect the fruit for any nicks or bruising of the surface. Finally, the peach should be covered in a light fuzz with pink and yellow coloring.
Peaches are best from June to the end of August
I take after both of my grandmother's when it comes to baking. They lived on opposite sides of the United States and different points of view when it came to baking. One of the desserts that they made differently was peach cobbler. My grandma that lived in California made her cobbler with canned peaches and a biscuit topping. My grandma that lived in Michigan made everything from scratch and that included her cobbler. I loved going to her home and enjoying her old fashioned peach cobbler. Made with sweet juicy peaches, her handmade toppings and served warm with vanilla ice cream melting on top.
Serving Size
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. butter
- 1 c. all purpose flour
- 2 c. sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 c. milk
- 4 c. fresh peaches
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
- Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch pan. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).
- Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Bake at 375 for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm with vanilla ice cream
Easy Peach Cobbler
- 3 (15oz) cans peaches in light syrup
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 oatmeal packet
- maple & brown sugar flavor
- 1 stick butter
- Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the cornstarch with the sugar, then sprinkle that over the peaches & stir it in. This will help the liquid thicken while it bakes so it won't be a runny cobbler.
- Pour peach mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Sprinkle cake mix on top of peaches, making sure to crush any large clumps. Sprinkle more cinnamon on top of cake mix. Top cake mix with oatmeal packet & cut butter into 14-16 pieces & place evenly over the top.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until filling is bubbly & topping is crisp & browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Peach Nutrition
A large peach has fewer than 70 calories and contains 3 grams of fiber. It's also a good source of vitamins A and C.
Growing A Peach Tree
If I had a large enough yard I would plant every type of tree I could. For now I have to be satisfied with picking peaches at my dads property in upstate South Carolina just outside Gaffney SC.
If you have ever driven north on I-85 just past Greenville SC there is a town name Gaffney SC known for having a water tower in the shape of a giant peach. In July the peach is celebrated in this town with a parade, festivals and peach picking parties.
If you have the space in your yard plant a peach tree and you will be able to enjoy your own fresh peaches right off the tree.
Did You Know?
The top two peach growers in the world are China and Italy.
The two main varieties of peaches are clingstone (the flesh sticks to the stone) and freestone (the stone is easily separated from the flesh).
There are two different color peaches. The traditional golden yellow variety and the sweeter variety
