Peach Peelin’

Late summer in Oklahoma brings really high temperatures and even higher humidity, you can’t step outside without immediately shedding a gallon of water. Pools feel like bath water and the only way to stay cool is to stay indoors. But I look forward to this ridiculously, sometimes miserably, hot part of summer every year. Why? Because it’s peach season. Duh.

In Oklahoma, you go to one of two (or both?!) places to get peaches – Porter or Stratford. Growing up in the NE part of the state, we always ate Porter peaches. Now living in Central Oklahoma, Stratford is a bit closer to me. I don’t discriminate, I love them all!

This last week The Carnivore was working by Stratford, so I asked him to drive the extra 10 minutes to town and bring home some peaches! This is what I got…

I think he’s hoping for peach cobblers all year long.

You know you’ve found a good peach when it needs to be eaten over the sink; a paper towel will NOT soak up all the sweet juice that runs down your chin. A good, ripe peach doesn’t need added sugar before using in cobblers/pies. A good peach is so tender and sweet that your fruit hating husband will eat those little slices of heaven like candy, but don’t expect him to bite into one – the fuzzy skin is too much for him to handle. These Stratford peaches did not disappoint!

We spent an hour yesterday peeling and slicing peaches to get them ready to freeze. I wanted to share with you my favorite and EASIEST way to peel a half bushel of peaches.

Here’s the set up:

You need a pot of boiling water, an ice bath, and two empty bowls – one for peach slices and one for skins/pits.

Step 1: Place a few peaches in boiling water for 1 – 1½ minutes. My peaches were pretty large, so I did 1½ minutes. You’ll be able to tell when the skins have loosened; they will give when lightly pinched.

Step 2: Place peach in ice bath for 30 seconds.

Step 3: Peel the skin off with your fingers. No wasted peach here! The skin will pull off pretty easily.

Step 4: Slice into the peach all the way around the pit, then insert your thumbs at the top and pull the slices off the pit.

So easy! Here’s a quick video of the process:

Hope your Sunday is as sweet as a peach!