Article written by Chef Crusco Catering in Austin, TX
On one of my last visits to the farmers market, the peaches seemed to be at every corner stand and that well known aroma just filled the air. With summer in full swing producing weeks and weeks of hot weather, the peaches just start concentrating their flavor. I purchased a small pack of 12 while shopping for other ingredients for three private chef dinners this week. I decided to taste just one peach and wow just wow! The peach was perfectly ripe, soft to the touch yet still resistant. I could not resist any longer and decided to eat three more with juices just dripping down my hand, wrist and arm. At that moment I realized this was not only what I would write about but also that I would incorporate it into the bachelorette dinner party as a cocktail, the cooking class as a salad and the customer specific dinner as a dessert. Peaches (for those that know me) and specifically the Fredericksburg peach is my all time favorite fruit. As a result, I learned a lot about this incredible fruit including its different varieties, how to ripen, cook, freeze, and prepare main courses with it as the main ingredient.
Categories
In general, peaches come in two categories. One based on color and the other on whether or not the seed clings to the fruit. A ripe white peach is creamy gold, while a ripe yellow peach has a deep, rich yellow tone. The other distinction is between what are called freestone and clingstone peaches. The seed clings to the flesh in clingstone peaches, which come out in the early part of the season. The seed is easily removed in freestone peaches, which arrive as late-season peaches. Both peaches are useful and delicious so no need to wait and use one or the other for your own private dinner party. Many people inquire about purchasing, storing, and preparing peaches so listed below is a quick guide to help when working with peaches.
Buying & Storing Peaches
The flesh of a ripe peach (a peach at its peak) will yield to slight pressure and be very aromatic. They ripen best when stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight so don’t put it right near the window. Additionally, try not to stack or jam several peaches together as they will inevitably bruise. Once the peach is ripe though, place it in the refrigerator to eat within a week. Remember this only works with ripe peaches as an unripen peach in the refrigerator will inhibit the ripening process as well as dry out. The best way to buy peaches when not ripe is to purchase 2-3 days before you plan to serve them. This way, they will be ripe when needed and just absolutely perfect for any chef to use while cooking for your very own house dinner party.
Raw preparation
Generally, peaches can simply be rinsed in cool water and are ready to eat. If you are like me though, eating several unwashed peaches at the farmer’s market doesn’t hurt! However, once washed, try serving them at your next private dinner party as an appetizer. Your guests will love this incredibly delicious Peach Crostini using Fredericksburg peaches, Toast points, Goat cheese, local honey and thyme. You can also serve them with pound cake, yogurt, smoothies or your favorite kind of ice cream. My favorite and a way my father shared with me (when I was 10-11 years old) was to simply dip them in good red wine for a few minutes. The combination of sweetness from the peaches and the earthy Malbec wine is incredible!
Peeling Peaches
This is the best and fastest way to peel a lot of peaches at once. It is the exact same way chefs peel tomatoes for sauces and soups (especially when doing high end 6 course customer specific private dinners). If you need to peel one peach no need for all of this effort. But, the process begins by putting peaches into boiling water for about 20-30 seconds. Remove and place in an ice water bath to stop the heating process from continuing. Using a small paring knife, pull off the skins, starting at the stem end. To stop the flesh from turning brown, dip in a solution of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1/2 gallon of water, or sprinkle with some lemon juice. Then, starting at the stem, run a paring knife around the peach equator. Carefully twist, pulling the sides apart so you can remove the pit. The peaches are now ready to use for any dish you like but one of our more popular Chef desserts is this riff on the classic Peach Melba!
Freezing & Canning
Peaches can be sliced and frozen by themselves or in sugar or syrup. Peaches packed without sugar will not retain their quality as long. Canning peaches in syrup helps retain the peaches color, flavor, and texture. Most importantly though it allows you to enjoy the peaches in the dead of winter when you cannot find them at all. We actually can them just to use in desserts and other courses for all our cooking classes and private dinners throughout the year. Additionally, defrosting frozen peaches in syrup can be pureed to make sauces or as a marmalade. The marmalade can be added between cake slices or simply enjoyed with croissants, biscuits or toast in the morning with a good cappuccino!
Cooking & Baking
Peaches are perhaps best known for their use in Peach tarts or cobbler but they can also be used in breads and cakes. In our Chef Cooking classes we love to show students how to make pastry cream to then serve it with this delicious Peach Puff Pastry dessert! The peach is a versatile ingredient that can be used to make sweet sauces to pair with desserts. But it can also be used as a savory glaze or salsa to complement fish, poultry and game like this Duck Breast + Peach glaze dish! The best thing about cooking peaches is that you don’t always need the best peaches to extract that intense flavor. When cooking peaches, the water inside the fruit evaporates thus concentrating that intense peach flavor that is unlike anything else.
Although 87 percent water, a good peach packs a ton of flavor and is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A and iron. Take a trip to your farmers market this week or even better head out to Jenschke Orchard in Fredericksburg, TX and check out the amazing supply of beautiful peaches. At the very least, go to the grocery store, buy some peaches and get cooking! Test out some of the recipes above or experiment with other sweet and savory preparations. Whether served raw with ice cream or fully cooked, I hope you too get excited about a simple fruit like the peach. Chef Crusco Catering would love to hear from you and see any creations made in the kitchen. Post online and tag @chefcrusco to share! If you would like more information regarding our chef services, click HERE and submit your event request!
