Pretty as a Peach

Well if you have an ounce of sense in your head you have discovered your local Farmers Market. These days you would have to be Bubble Boy not to have stumbled across mass amount's of healthy people glamoring around stands containing the fruits and vegetables of the land you live in. So it will come to no surprise to most of you that Peaches are here, have been for a while and will continue to be for a month or so. Most markets sell them by the pound, or in bag's, (either 1/4 or 1/2 Peck), a quarter Peck is around 12- 15 Peaches depending on the kind and the size, and how many you eat on the way home, a common issue for me, so I get a little extra for the drive.

What in the name of Cod am I going to do with 12-15 peaches that will undoubtedly ripen at exactly the same moment and rot soon afterwards? Freeze them!, Yes it is a little work, but not much compared to the rewards, imagine making a peach pie in the middle of winter using your own Local peaches? Thanksgiving and Christmas spring to mind if you follow those things, need to impress your Mother in-law? peach pie while the snow is falling..try it.

For now lets not focus on when and how you might use the peaches to your advantage, just how to get them to storage.

I brought a large pot of water to boil, with a pinch of salt added and quickly placed/lowered..not dropped, the peaches into the water, counted to ten and carried the pot to the sink, where I gently poured the peaches into a colander. Then replacing them in the pot I covered them with cold water and ice cubes. When you are refilling the pot with water, use your hand to diffuse the force from the faucet, peaches bruise VERY easy, nobody likes to be bruised. Let the peaches

chill in the water for a few minutes before placing on a paper towel, or on a cooling rack in the sink,, my method of choice. If you hit your mark and the fruit is just ripe enough, the skin will literally fall off the peach, but some will require a gentle tug to remove the skin. Next, over a large bowl and with a paring knife cut the peach to the pit in quarters, at the last one, you should be able to "pop" out a section, and once you are in, you're all set. Cut each 1/4 into whatever size slices you like, I shoot for 4 slices out of a 1/4. Once this is done squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon on to the peaches and toss lightly.

Seems like a lot, but you are coming down the home stretch. On the largest sheet pan or plastic cutting board that will fit in your freezer place plastic wrap, or if you have one, a rubber baking mat. If you have not seen these they are great for cookies and any baking needs and they roll up for easy storage, plus very little cleanup, your local culinary store will have them. You just need something to keep the peaches from freezing to the sheet pan, or whatever flat surface you choose to use.

Place the peaches in rows, cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Now all you need do is put the peach slices in a freezer bag, and you have set yourself up for a winter of success, at least in the peach department. You can add them to smoothies, or bake with them, tease, then please your friends with your bounty of fresh fruit from your local farmers market in the middle of a long New England winter. I am making a Blueberry and Peach Crisp with some of my "leftovers" from my afternoon of peach freezing, look for the crisp in the next edition and keep on cooking!