Mid-September

[ksmith]

Don’t ask me where in hell the year has gone, because I don’t know.

Gaby is at playcare today, running with the pack (cue Bad Company). I was going to clean, but wound up doing laundry and baking instead. Neighbor-with-fruit-trees gave me a basket of white and yellow peaches, and while they tasted fine fresh, there were so many that I didn’t want to risk them going off, so I made a cobbler.

Sidebar to say that my absolute favorite Donna Noble line comes during her wedding, when her friend Nerys (sp?), who does give off a Bitch Vibe, complains that Donna made her wear peach. “But you are a peach,” Donna replies. “Fair of skin. Stone inside. Going off.”

Anyway. I had been planning to make the usual Bisquick cobbles, but I tripped over this recipe online and decided to give it a go. Blanched and peeled the peaches using the tomato method–which I guess is the peach method, too–by cutting an X on the bottom of each peach, then sticking them in boiling water for a minute or so, then shoveling them into a bowl of ice water. Let them cool for a few, then peel. Skin came off nice as you please:

Peeled and sectioned the peaches:

Poured the melted butter and lightly mixed batter into a 13×9-inch baking dish. Added a few drops of Fiori di Sicilia to the batter because it really freshens the taste:

Brought the peaches to a boil with vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and a few teaspoons of Grand Marnier, just to see if it would make a diff:

Baked for about 45 minutes at 375F:

House smelled great while it baked. Haven’t tried it yet–fruit and spices taste better after sitting a few hours, for all the recipes tell you to eat fresh/warm from the oven. I’ll have some tonight, with coffee.

Mirrored from Kristine Smith.

Comments

[phantomminuet.livejournal.com]

I don't even like cobbler, and that sounds wonderful. And I'm going to steal the pealing method for peach salsa.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

If they give me any more peaches, I will make chutney or some other type of relish. Salsa sounds good.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

A word of warning: having tried it repeatedly, it appears that the peeling method only works on peaches that are entirely and perfectly ripe. If they're at all under-ripe you end up with hot wet peaches to peel in a conventional manner, and it's much more difficult to peel hot wet peaches than dry cool ones. :)

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

How long did you let them steep?

The\e peaches I used felt pretty hard. The instructions read to steep in boiling water for 45 seconds, up to a minute if peaches were under-ripe--additional cooking time was supposed to improve the flavor as well as loosen the skin.

I think I left mine in about 2 minutes. I waited until I saw the skin around the X-incision start to lift, or the X-area itself start to widen a bit (expansion due to heat?).

Same as with tomatoes--I wait until the skin starts to peel back a bit on its own. I'm sure I risk over-cooking, but if I'm going to be cooking them anyway, I figured what the dif? Plus, they were hard, and the white peaches actually quite tart.

OTOH, first time I ever tried this. First time I ever cooked with fresh peaches. Beginner's Luck?

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

Looks great. Wish I could eat peaches, but they love me not. Lucky you, having both a neighbor trying to get rid of excess fruit and a digestion that tolerates peaches.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I've been pretty lucky with fruits and veggies. No issues.

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

Apparently, my issues were there in infancy; my mother told me what happened the first time she fed me strained peaches. I will spare you. It soon became obvious that some foods were going to be a problem. I hate being a nuisance in group eating situations, having been scolded so much as a child for not eating things I knew made me sick (not by my mother, but other adults.) But there it is...and I'd be more of a nuisance if I ate them and the Worst Happened.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

The only true food issue I have ever had is my inability to eat super premium ice cream. It's not lactose intolerance, but the amount of butter fat. Brands like Haagen-Daaz--I can't even finish a 3 oz snack cup before I start to feel lousy. I was happy to find gelato, which is made with milk. It lacks the creaminess of ice cream, but that mouth feel is something I can live without.

In truth, high animal fat foods get to me as well, but to a lesser degree. Alfredo sauces. A meal heavy on sausage and cheeses. I had a fairly big steak at my retirement lunch (for me--10 or 12 oz) and I didn't eat again until the next day.

Both my folks had to have their gall bladders removed in their 40s/50s. I've avoided trouble so far, knock wood, but it's my weak spot. Lucky I love veggies and complex carbs.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Looks awesome. I used to make simple fruit and oat crisp type things for my mom and dad. That's a lovely way to end dinner--and good peaches! I can't find any down here. Our crop didn't make it, and the imports have very little flavor.

[cailleuch.livejournal.com]

I don't have peaches but I'll look for some at the farmer's market on Saturday. I do have blueberries and was going to make a buckle but that looks good. Maybe I will experiment.

[seachanges.livejournal.com]

Ooooo, that cobbler sounds & looks good!

Gonna have to try that peeling method one of these days.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

See my reply to mizkit's comment.