I saw this quote that said, “summer has a flavour like no other…always fresh and simmered in sunshine”.
Ain’t that the truth??
When I think about winter, I think about stew and mashed potatoes (and a big glass of red); when I think of spring, I think of fresh pea soup and rhubarb pie; when I think of fall, it’s all about the apples and pumpkin everything.
But summer?
Summer is freshness at it’s peak. Plucking the sweetest strawberry off the vine and popping it in your mouth … tomatoes still warm from the summer sun,the vitamins coursing through your veins as it goes into your belly.
But, when I see a roadside stand with baskets of peaches, it brings back all the summer memories – sitting in the backyard on a hot, summer day and eating a juicy Niagara peach as all the sticky, goodness dribbles down my chin. Who doesn’t have that memory??
Well, as I sit here and write this post, it is hot and humid and glorious outside. And my kitchen counter is graced with some of the most beautiful peaches on the planet!!
So if you’re like me and can’t get enough of our peach season, this post is for you!
I have some buying and storing tips and loads of recipes to get you through the summer season!!
What Do you Look For When Buying Peaches and How To Store Them?
- The best piece of advice I can give you is to buy ripe peaches…either firm-ripe
(when pressed, they will ‘give’ slightly),or those that are a bit more tender to the touch meaning they are soft and ready to eat. The color near the stem end should have a golden yellow colour and no green. - Sort your peaches by ripeness (the ones that are very ripe can either be eaten straight away or you can make peach preserves with them (refer to this post for details). If you’d like to keep a few to eat in the next day or so, remember that peaches are best stored resting on the ‘bump’ by the stem and not touching one another (that’s when they begin to mould).
- You’ll know if a peach has been picked ripe or not by how it ripens. Peaches that were picked very green will not ripen, and if they were refrigerated, they will go from green to mealy when left out of the fridge.
- Refrigeration will stop the peaches from ripening, so even very ripe peaches will last a few more days.
- If you have peaches that you’d like to ripen further, leave them at room temperature in a space with no humidity (like near a window with only a bit of direct sun). Check them daily, and use them up as they ripen or refrigerate and eat when they’re ready.
If you’re making preserves, check out this post on how to use them in delicious ways!!
What if you have a pile of peaches that are super ripe and you have eaten your weight in peaches and can’t eat any more? Check out this post of how to freeze peaches and have them at your fingertips all winter long!!
Want to try your hand at canning peaches? You don’t have to do tons…just a few jars to see if you like them! Here are all the deets!!
How about trying this Toasted Angel Food Cake Cubes with Zabaglione and Rhubarb Peach Sauce? It is seriously so delicious and you can totally use store bought cake!!!
Or how about whipping up the most decadent peach coffee cake?? Your neighbours will love you!! All the instructions are here!
Or how about some rustic peach crumble bars? They are great with some ice cream (and they freeze well!!).
Or maybe my famous inside out peach scones?? These scones are super delish and if you’d like to stash some in the freezer, freeze them unbaked!!
Old fashioned bread pudding wit the addition of juicy Ontario peaches!! You won’t regret using your peaches here!!
And because I’ve been doing this (blogging) for what seems like an eternity, there are some older blogposts that, although they are still super delicious, their pictures need to be ‘freshened up’!! Here they are (clickable links):
Gluten-free peach and raspberry cobbler
The easiest chicken, cashew and peach salad
And, finally, for those of you with my cookbook (and, shameless plug, if you don’t have it you can order it here or on Amazon.ca):
Summer Stone Fruit Buckle:
Old Fashioned Peach Custard Dessert:
Peach Kolaches:
I didn’t realize how many peach recipes I had on the blog!!
Mannnnn, I love peaches!
