Peach processing part II

Excailbur, fully loaded

 Once the peaches were in the dehydrator, I didn't have to do anything to them until they were finished. Just turn on Excalibur and let them dry. My dehydrator holds 9 trays, and I filled them all. I probably could have done a second, smaller batch, but decided to freeze those peaches instead. That way, I have snacking peaches, and peaches that I can use for future smoothies and pies.

Yummy little slices of summer

Each tray is made of two parts: the black supporting layer and a plastic mesh.  This is a different design from my father's dehydrator, and it has one great advantage: the mesh is flexible and removable. What does this mean for me? It means I don't have to scrape the peaches off with my fingernails or leave bits stuck to the trays.  The mesh can flex and pop the peaches right off. Even the most stubborn peach pieces came off with a minimum of fuss.

These won't last very long...

To store the peaches, I used a vacuum sealer and its special bags.  I had to buy this at the same time as Excalibur. It was such fun to use, I was actually looking around the kitchen to see if there were any other objects that needed to be sealed! Anyway, now the peaches will last for quite a while, or they will, if we don't eat them all. We have already munched through one bag. They are just so good!

Peach processing, part I

I need a bigger stove!

Here is the setup I had on Thursday night as I processed the peaches for the dehydrator.  The pot on the left is for boiling them to loosen the skins, while the pot on the right is full of ice water to cool the peaches so that I can actually handle them to remove the skins.

Bobbing for peaches!

I only did as many peaches would fit in the pots at a time, so they wouldn't get too soggy while I worked on them.
The pits went in the garbage, while the skins got saved for the compost bin.

The newspaper is a must if you want to prevent peach juice from getting everywhere

Once the peaches were skinned and sliced I put them in an ascorbic acid solution to prevent browning.  My salad spinner worked really well for this step, because I could easily lift the basket out to get any stragglers without having to fish around in the peachy water. The newspaper is to protect the counter, and to keep the mess to a minimum.  Since it was me doing the work, any mess minimization strategy is good; I once managed to get molasses on the ceiling. In other words, I am a messy cook. My dad always used the newspaper to attempt to keep the juice from getting on the carpet as he carried the trays down to the basement (not that it worked - I take after him in that department). Once all the trays were loaded up and in the dehydrator, it was time to fire it up and wait. Tomorrow: dehydrated peaches!

35 pounds of peaches

A fraction of the box of peaches

This past weekend I bought a box of peaches. As you may recall, from previous posts, I love peaches. My dad used to buy boxes of peaches every fall to slice and put in the dehydrator.  They would be set out on the dining room table, and the kitchen counter, and any other flat space, to ripen, filling the house with their lovely perfume.  Then they would all ripen at once, and the kitchen became an unsafe place to be in the evenings, as he peeled and sliced peaches like a madman (well, OK, and time he is in the kitchen he is kind of like a madman, even if he is only making a sandwich), laying them out on dehydrating trays and dripping peach juice down the stairs and through the hallway to the dehydrator hidden in the storage room. Peaches bought directly from the farmer, as these were, and as were those long ago peaches, taste nothing like the mealy, rock hard one minute, over-ripe the next, peaches that you can buy at the store. As a result, canned peaches, dried peaches, and any other peach products all taste that much better.

Raspberry vodka, brandy, and rum

Anyway, I bought this box of peaches, and now I had to think of what to do with them all. I didn't really want to can them, although I like eating the results in the middle of January and remembering that winter doesn't last forever (especially not in Arkansas). Cobbler is always a good option, but wouldn't use enough peaches to make a noticeable dent in the box. Then our friend Taine mentioned a recipe she had just seen for making boozy fruit - fruit marinated in sugar and hard alcohol. Canning without some of the fuss and mess of canning. Perfect. I found the general recipe at the New York Times and decided to give it a try. After a trip to the liquor store, I made six jars, two each, of boozy peaches in raspberry vodka, brandy, and rum. You will have to wait until December or January to hear how they turned out, since they have to marinate for 3 months before they are ready to eat (or should that be imbibe?). I also made a batch of peach frozen yogurt, which was divine.

From several years ago, but the scene will be similar tonight.

 Of course, six jars of peaches and a half gallon of frozen yogurt also hardly make a dent in a 35 pound box, so I did the sensible thing and ordered a dehydrator. Well, maybe it wasn't entirely sensible - would have been cheaper just to can the darn things and be done - but I have wanted one ever since I moved away from home, and I do so love dried peaches... Excalibur (hey, that's the name on the box) arrived yesterday, and I will be spending my evening peeling peaches, slicing peaches, and getting peach juice all over the kitchen.