I confess…I’m a peach snob

I need to confess…I’m a Southern peach snob. I prefer Southern peaches above any others (sorry California or Washington! And no to white flesh peaches too…I warned you…peach SNOB!). Cresthaven, Georgia Belle, doesn’t matter to me that some of them are a little smaller. In this case, all that matters is the taste. And these babies are the best!

The first time I bought peaches as an adult on my own, I was mortified by the cost. In the backyard of my childhood home, we had two peach trees. One matured in June, the other in July. We ate peaches all summer and that had me spoiled.

But then not being able to afford to have them every day (I wasn’t watching for sales prices then, and they were some of the more expensive fruit) was very disappointing. Now that I have a few tricks up my sleeve, I enjoy Southern peaches to the utmost every summer…and as far as my frozen ones will last the rest of the year!

How to pick ‘em

If you can smell that sweet peach smell, you’re golden. But chances are they will have been picked too early to ripen that far before heading to your store. So, because they’re fragile, look for peaches that are bruise-free, cut-free, wrinkle-free, and have a nice rosy color to the skin.

I always “feel” mine anyway just in case some are softer than others. I also noted last year that there were some I didn’t like that had a strange “knobby” texture I could feel even through the skin. So be alert!

How to cut ‘em

Remember the name “cling” peaches?” Well, they for sure will “cling” to that pit if they aren’t ripe enough (whether they are cling-stone or free-stone). Once you get them home, they can sit on your kitchen counter or in a brown paper bag to ripen.

I would check them every day to be sure you don’t miss peak flavor and texture. Make sure you set them on their “shoulders” so they don’t roll around. (See peach anatomy here)

Wash them, take off any stem, and line up a pretty good-sized knife (I use a small chef’s knife) with the “suture.” Cut all the way to the pit and, rolling the peach in your hand, cut all the way around the peach. You can stop here, grasp both sides and gently twist OR continue and then cut perpendicular to that (essentially making a big X on top of the peach) and again cut all the way around.

With the knife still in the cut, move to the left and the right to get the first piece off the pit. Then you can release the others with the knife or with your fingers.

You don’t even have to peel these babies. The skin is quite edible and tasty. But particularly if you plan to freeze these, don’t waste your time removing the skin.

How to freeze ‘em

Dry the pieces and lay them out on wax paper on a baking sheet (or something else freezer safe). Freeze for 2 hours before loading them into freezer bags. This should keep them from sticking to each other as much.

Rinse and let sit out just a few minutes before eating. They’re almost like peach popsicles…so cold and sweet! And if you don’t want the skin, it’s super easy to peel off as you’re rinsing the pieces. But I bet if you try it, you’ll find the skin just isn’t a problem to eat (and it has some potential health benefits).

It’s PEACH TIME!!!

Peaches are coming in by the droves in the summer heat. Grab them while you can, enjoy a few fresh, and freeze the rest to enjoy when the fresh ones are all gone for the season. The best price I’ve seen in TN is 69c/pound. If you see them for that price or better in bulk (where you can choose the fruit yourself) get a bunch! Now you know how to make the most of ‘em!