Sunday, August 8, 2010

Peaches

Peaches are in season here in New England.  I think it's pretty sad that just a few years ago, I didn't know that you could grow them here.  I thought they could only be grown in the south, like citrus.  That's how far away from our food supply I was.  Now of course, I have my own peach trees.  They have some small fruit on them this year, but nothing that will actually feed us quite yet. 

The local farm, however, does have quite a few peaches.  When I went in the other day, they were running a special for canning peaches at a very nice price.  I snatched them up and ran right home to use up my bounty. 

I also did the tomatoes from the garden at the same time.  While I canned, my family happily slurped up the peaches still in the basket.  I think I'll be going back tomorrow to see if they have anymore left.  We are now firmly in the no industrially processed foods camp here.  If I don't get enough tomatoes for the year, I'll go back to the same farm to get big baskets of their canning tomatoes.  There just is no comparison. 

When I was finished canning, I decided a pie was in order.  This is a crumb top peach pie.  The recipe was made up, but consisted of a bottom pie crust.  The peaches were seasoned with cinnamon, ginger and allspice and thickened with a little cornstarch.  The topping was a basic crumble with butter, flour and sugar.  It was very yummy. 

11 comments:

kitsapFG said...

Yum! I love it when the fresh peach season is on. Peaches and pears go over big in this household. I usually buy my peaches from a produce stand in central Washington that stocks from Wenatchee and Yakima growers. I am not making an August trip to see my mom though so I am probably going to miss the peach season this year - but when I go back in September I should catch the beginnings of the apple harvest and the pears.

Sustainable Eats said...

Heather you make the loveliest pies! I'm so excited for your peach tree. There is nothing like preserving the food that you grew. UPicks and local farms are a nice option but just not the same. Well done!

The Mom said...

Laura, I'm lucky to have a farm nearby with lots of different kinds of fruits and veggies. They grow most everything I want around here. Apples are our favorite.

Annette, thanks so much. My mother is the best pie maker out there, so I can't even hold a candle, but they taste good! I can't wait until my fruit trees are in full swing. It will be a few years yet.

meemsnyc said...

OH my, delicious! Those canned peaches looks amazing. And yummy pie! Crumb topping is my favorite on pies.

farmwifetwo said...

You water process - the floating food - we hot pack most of the time. It's just the way they do it here, and when I did water process the tomatoes once.... I heard about it all winter from the dh. All depends on what you grow up with, eh??

I too am off to the fruit farm on Mon... unless something's really wrong with my van... the appts for Wed... Need cucs, mine are up about 6" now - replants - but it'll be a long time before they are ready. Cling-stone peaches are out here, I'll wait for the Red Haven's before fresh eating, and maybe canning. This year I can do more - my runner (autistic) is slowing down... atleast I can pull weeds and expect him to stay in the playground (old 3 acre sheep yard) and not vanish... good thing he's nearly to my shoulder and nearly 9 - but I still don't have as much time as I'd like to do it all.

The Mom said...

Meemsnyc, thanks, they will be wonderful this winter.

Farmwifetwo, I've always done them this way and wondered why they floated like that. I'll have to try heating up the fruit first and see the difference. Thanks!

Daphne Gould said...

That pie looks so good. I wish I had some time to can peaches from the farmers market, but it just isn't meant to be. I'm sure I will for apple season though. Another month or maybe just a couple of weeks things should be easier as both my kids will be off for college.

Karen Anne said...

That pie looks so good, I think it must be illegal :-)

The Mom said...

Daphne, get the kids to help you! I know that's easier said than done.

Karen Anne, ssshh! Don't tell anyone, I don't want the police breathing down my neck!

inadvertent farmer said...

OH my goodness do I LOVE peach pie...I need to wipe the drool off the keyboard now. Kim

Anonymous said...

LoL, I thought the same thing about peaches in Michigan. This will be the third year in a row that I've canned them. :) We have two of our own little peach trees but, like yours, they haven't given us much yet. One had 2 peaches growing this year. I was watching them grow and waiting eagerly to eat them... then my husband said, "Did you leave some fruit in the yard?" as he picked up a peach pit that the dog had left!! So now I'm watching my one lone peach!