When we lived in Ft. Collins we had a peach tree that bore beautiful fruit each year. We made a lot of “pickled” peaches using Rick’s grandmother’s recipe. When we ate lunch at Penning’s Farm Stand this Saturday and saw all the fresh peaches for sale we decided to put some up. Especially when we saw that they were selling their own Spiced Pickled Peaches for $12.00 a jar!

It’s been at least six years since we’ve done this and I think we’ve pretty much forgotten how. Like how much work it really is. Like what kind of jars we should have purchased (the wide mouth kind). Like how the peaches really should be pretty darn ripe because if they are too big to fit into those narrow-necked jars you have to pit them which is not easy an easy process on an un-ripe peach. More like butchering instead of pitting. Like how you really should watch the sugar syrup closely so that it doesn’t overflow the pan and run all over the cooktop and make a big sticky mess.

First the peaches have to be peeled. Putting them in a boiling hot water bath for a minute or so helps to loosen the skins. Again, must remember to get riper peaches so the skins come off more easily to avoid butchered peaches.

After peeling they sit in cold water with some vinegar and salt added so they won’t turn a funny brown by they time you get them all peeled. Only thing is, here’s a hint. Don’t put the peaches in a double boiler/strainer because as the peaches displace the water it will begin to overflow—all over the cooktop and counter before it finally makes its way down the cabinets and to the floor in a big puddle.

After a quick dip in the syrup mixture they get put in clean, hot jars along with some cloves and a piece of cinnamon stick. Peaches just a tad too big to fit through the mouth of the jar? No problem! Just give them a good push and hope like heck you can get them back out when you are ready to eat them. Pour syrup mixture over peaches to cover within one half inch of the top.

Out of the canning bath and they are looking good!

For all our trouble we got four quarts of mostly intact peaches and one quart of butchered sliced peaches.

We can only hope they taste really good because after all the mishaps and an hour or more to clean up the mess, we are beginning to think that $12.00 a quart is not too much to pay after all.

funny, I was just wondering this week-end if the peaches were in yet.  Last year my boss had a big bag of them that he left on his desk before leaving for vacation.  I called him and he told me to take them home.  They were already overripe so I turned them into peach jam.  Yummy!  Been wanting to make more ever since we ate the last jar.  Might be time for a ride up to Pennings after all!

Hope your canning experience goes better than our did, Maggie!

great story…I could picture it perfectly…you and Rick working so hard on those peaches.  I’m sure when you are ready to eat them you won’t be disappointed!

Debra, it was not our finest cooking moment! Glad you enjoyed it though. I wrote it just like it happened. A comedy of errors!