Peaches...

[Graye]

I have a huge peach tree in the garden and it seems to be having an unusually good year.

So far it has managed to break two of its own branches from the sheer weight of the fruit and now it seems most of the peaches will be ripe at the same point. The fruit from the two branches filled a wheelbarrow and that is probably only a tenth of the total still on the tree.

I am about to make some wine today but if I make four gallons it will only deal with about 20lbs. I'll give some away to our neighbours but as we only have two that won't help much. I might try some compote if I can find a recipe and perhaps put some in jars with apple juice (they are those lovely yellow-fleshed ones, like cling peaches) but otherwise I have no idea what to do with them.

Any more ideas?

[Millymollymandy]

I've made chutney which was very nice. Also stewed them up lightly and frozen them for eating during the winter months. Lucky you - I have tons of peach trees and all but one has bacterial spot, it doesn't go away once you've got it and you end up with teeny tiny fruit which are hard and inedible on one side, the spotty side. There is no cure, not even chemical. Waaaaaaaaah

[Graye]

Well I've just set off the first gallon from today's windfalls. I put 6lbs in so that gives you a clue of what I'm dealing with! That sounds like a nasty disease. Some of ours have black spots on the skin but they are all huge and juicy so I don't think it's that problem.

I like the idea of freezing them. I've got quite a bit of room for that although we normally switch off the electrics when we leave for winter (probably early November this year). And chutney sounds nice - I can see the 4 bags of sugar I bought yesterday weren't enough so we are to the shops this afternoon...

I don't have any jam making equipment here other than some heavy bottomed pans. Has anyone made jam etc without all the usual paraphernalia?

MMM I see you have a goose on your avatar. Any chance you might know the answers to the theoretical goose question under livestock please? The info is for a writing project which hinges on whether baby geese would be self contained pretty quickly.

[Green Aura]

Must be a good year for them. One of my neighbours has had a similar problem with the peaches snapping a branch with their weight. And this is in Durness!

Anyway, in response to your request - Baltimore peach cake - made one yesterday with donated peaches from aforementioned neighbour.

2 ½ cup unbleached flour - I used wholemeal
3 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar - i used light muscavado

1 tablespoon margarine, softened
1 ½ cups soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tbsp vinegar

¾ cup sugar - light muscovado again
2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 large peaches, peeled and neatly sliced
2 tablespoon soy margarine, melted

Heat oven to 180oC.

Mix first four, dry, ingredients.
Mix the following four wet ingredients and mix into dry ingredients.
Spread into a cake pan.

Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of it on the cake base.
Arrange peach slices on top.
Sprinkle rest of sugar mix on top and pour the marg over the mix.

Bake for 30-40 mins.

It was good!

[Millymollymandy]

MMM I see you have a goose on your avatar. Any chance you might know the answers to the theoretical goose question under livestock please? The info is for a writing project which hinges on whether baby geese would be self contained pretty quickly.

It's a duck Graye, and I don't know anything about raising them or geese - I bought mine fully grown from a market. Sorry!

[Graye]

I suddenly realised that as I was grappling with our sloe bush! Silly me, just as well I'm not planning on getting any really... As we are in the midde of Perigord I suppose I could ask one of the locals, not that they are renowned for treating their geese very well.

[simpleminds]

Have you tried grilling peaches? You may want to give these Grilled-to-Perfection Peaches a try for a sweet treat. For more info visit here. Enjoy!

Grilled-to-Perfection Peaches



What You Need

1/4 cup KRAFT Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
2 Tbsp. honey
4 ripe peaches (1 lb.), cut in half, pitted
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Sugar Free Whipped Topping

Make It

HEAT grill to medium-high heat.
MIX dressing and honey in medium bowl. Add peaches; toss to coat.
GRILL peaches 6 to 8 min. or until softened, turning occasionally and brushing with dressing mixture.
SERVE topped with COOL WHIP.

[jampot]

what "paraphernalia " other than a big pan do you use for jam making ? all jam needs is fruit and sugar (and jars) if chutneys on the agenda jams no probs
mmm peach jam on hot toast gimme gimme

[Millymollymandy]

Probably a jam thermometer!

[jampot]

oh yeah didnt think of that duh! ive never used one mmm just a cold saucer for setting test

[Millymollymandy]

I use both because I don't trust using just one method as they never seem to agree, so at some point I just conclude that it must be done by now.