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PEACHES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE FRUIT.
WHEN I WAS A KID, I USED TO DREAM ABOUT BEING JAMES
IN "JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH."
ONLY IN MY VERSION OF THE STORY, INSIDE THE PEACH PIT,
WE HAD A COMPLETE GALLEY AT OUR DISPOSAL.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE,
I HAVE ALL THE RIPE PEACH I COULD EVER WANT,
AND IT'S JUST PERFECT. THE TEXTURE IS DEAD-ON,
AND THE SWEETNESS IS SUBLIMELY BALANCED WITH THE ACIDITY.
I SAY, THE PIE IS LOVELY.
THE ICE CREAM ISN'T BAD, EITHER.
WELL, I DO FIND THE PEACH MELBA QUITE DELECTABLE.
IT'S NOWHERE NEAR AS JUICY
AS A NICE... FAT... GRASSHOPPER.
AAH!
I'M KIDDING. HA! HA! HA! WHERE AM I?
(Alton) ALTHOUGH THE TIGHT QUARTERS
MAKE FOR INTERESTING LIVING, WE'RE HAPPY,
UNTIL, OF COURSE, THE PEACH BEGINS TO ROT.
I CAN'T COOK WITH THIS.
IT'S ROTTEN AND RUNNY AND SMELLY.
WHATEVER WILL WE DO?
I SHALL BE FORCED TO EAT THE GRASSHOPPER.
OH, BOTHER.
YOU DON'T DARE!
FINE. THEN I'LL EAT YOU.
AAH!
OF COURSE, WE'D ALL FORGOTTEN THAT WE WERE IN THE OCEAN,
SO WHEN THE PEACH WAS GONE,
THERE WAS NOTHING BETWEEN US AND THE RAVENOUS SHARK.
AAH!
ALAS, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS WITH PEACHES.
EVERY SUMMER, FANS SUCH AS MYSELF,
STARVED OF PEACHES THROUGH THREE-QUARTERS OF THE YEAR,
BUY UP BUSHELS, ONLY TO END UP BEING EATEN BY SHARKS.
OF COURSE, IF YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND THIS DELICIOUS TROOP,
YOU CAN ARM YOURSELF WITH A WIDE ARRAY OF APPLICATIONS
AIMED AT PREVENTING PEACHES FROM GOING BAD
AND YOU FROM BECOMING LITERARY...
♪♪
AHH! YOU KNOW, DESPITE THE FACT
THAT PEACHES DIDN'T REALLY TAKE ROOT IN THE UNITED STATES
UNTIL THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY
MADE GROWING COTTON A BIT OF A DIFFICULT PROPOSITION,
NOW THE UNITED STATES GROWS
A QUARTER OF THE WORLD PEACH CROP.
THAT'S ABOUT THREE BILLION POUNDS OF THESE GUYS A YEAR,
WHICH IS NOT BAD WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE FACT
THAT THEY'RE NOT EVEN FROM THIS SIDE OF THE PLANET.
A NATIVE OF CHINA, PEACHES HAVE BEEN CULTIVATED
SINCE AT LEAST 2000 B.C.,
BUT THOSE EARLY PEACHES WERE SMALL, HARD
AND VERY PIT-Y,
NOT NEARLY AS LUXURIOUS AS THE PEACHES OF TODAY.
BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP THE CHINESE FROM TREASURING THEM,
NOT ONLY AS CUISINE,
BUT AS TAOIST SYMBOLS OF LONGEVITY.
FROM HERE, THE PEACH TRAVELED TO...
PERSIA,
WHERE ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND OTHER WESTERNERS
FIRST ENCOUNTERED THE FRUIT,
WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY THE PEACH'S SCIENTIFIC NAME
IS PERSICUM MALUM-- "PERSIAN APPLE."
FROM PERSIA, IT WAS JUST A QUICK LITTLE JAUNT TO GREECE
AND THEN TO...
ROME, WHERE THE PEACH WAS CONSIDERED A HIGH DELICACY
AND OFTEN WENT FOR $4 OR EVEN $5 APIECE,
AND THAT'S IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, OKAY?
A LOT OF DENARI.
NOW BESIDES EATING THEM,
THE ROMANS DID A LOT FOR THE PEACH.
THEY SPREAD IT ALL OVER EUROPE
SO THAT LATER, IN THE 16th CENTURY...
ENGLISH, FRENCH AND SPANISH EXPLORERS,
LIKE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS,
COULD SAIL IT WESTWARD
TOWARDS THE DARK, RICH, FERTILE EARTH OF...
THE AMERICAN SOUTH.
BY THE TIME THE CIVIL WAR BROKE OUT,
STATES LIKE GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA
WERE ALREADY WELL-ESTABLISHED PEACH GROWERS.
NOW IT'S A CURIOUS LITTLE PIECE OF TRIVIA.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR,
MANY PEACH ORCHARDS, SUCH AS THIS ONE,
SERVED AS BACKDROPS FOR SOME VERY BLOODY BATTLES,
SUCH AS SHILOH AND GETTYSBURG.
(loud explosion)
GRACIOUS.
(sighs) OH, BOTHER.
IF YOU ONLY SHOP AT YE OLD MEGA-MART,
YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT HIP TO THE FACT
THAT THERE ARE OVER 2,000 VARIETIES OF PEACHES.
NOW THIS FARM STAND MAY NOT HAVE ALL 2,000,
BUT THEY DO HAVE A DOZEN OR SO,
CERTAINLY ENOUGH TO PROPERLY REPRESENT
THE PEACHY SPECTRUM.
NOW I'M A CLASSIFICATION GUY, OKAY?
CLASSIFICATION MAKES THE WORLD AN EASIER PLACE TO LIVE,
BUT IT'S HARD TO CLASSIFY A FRUIT
THAT IS AS DIVERSE AS-- AS PEACHES.
LUCKILY, PLANET PEACH CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO.
THERE ARE CLINGSTONE PEACHES,
WHOSE FLESH CLINGS TO THE PIT, OR STONE,
LIKE BAD HAIR AND MONEY TO DONALD TRUMP.
TASTY, THOUGH THEY MAY BE,
MOST CLINGSTONES END UP BEING FROZEN, CANNED,
PURéED OR OTHERWISE MANGLED FOR COMMERCIAL USES.
OUT-OF-HAND PEACHES ARE TYPICALLY FREESTONE PEACHES,
MEANING THAT THE FLESH GLADLY GIVES UP
THE PIT, OR STONE, INSIDE.
PEACHES CAN ALSO BE CLASSIFIED BY COLOR.
FOR INSTANCE, MUIR, LOVELL
AND THE ORIGINAL GEORGIA PEACH, ELBERTAS,
ALL HAVE YELLOW FLESH--A TRAIT DEVELOPED IN THE UNITED STATES
IN THE 19th CENTURY.
THE COLOR COMES FROM AN ABUNDANCE
OF CAROTENOID PIGMENTS, INCLUDING BETA-CAROTENE,
WHICH WE ALL LIKE.
MMM. THERE ARE ALSO WHITE PEACHES.
MMM.
WHITE PEACHES HAVE A LOWER ACID CONTENT,
WHICH MAY MAKE THEM TASTE A LITTLE LESS PEACHY,
BUT ALSO MAKES THEM INSANELY SWEET.
SOME COMMON VARIETIES INCLUDE...
NOW MOST PEACHES ARE AT THEIR PEAK
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER,
BUT ONCE PLUCKED FROM THE TREE, THE SUGAR CONTENT IS LOCKED IN,
AND THE CLOCK BEGINS TO TICK.
EVEN WITH MODERN SHIPPING TECHNIQUES,
FRESH PEACHES WILL NOT LAST MORE THAN,
OH... TEN DAYS TO TWO WEEKS POSTHARVEST,
WHICH EXPLAINS WHY IT'S BEST TO PICK YOUR PEACHES
AS CLOSE TO THE TREE AS POSSIBLE.
NOW THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T GET DECENT PEACHES
IN, YOU KNOW, UTAH,
BUT ODDS ARE, THOSE PEACHES ARE GONNA LOOK
BETTER THAN THEY TASTE,
AND THAT'S A SHAME.
BEHOLD, THE PHYSICAL INCARNATION
OF A PERFECT SUMMER DAY.
NOTICE, THE SHOULDERS ARE ROUND AND FULL--
EVIDENCE OF SUFFICIENT TIME ON THE TREE.
THE BACKGROUND COLOR IS YELLOW-ORANGE, NO GREEN.
THIS SPECIMEN DISPLAYS CONSIDERABLE BLUSH,
WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RIPENESS.
IT'S JUST PROOF THAT THE FRUIT HAS SPENT A GOOD BIT OF TIME
IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT,
EXCEPT, OF COURSE, HERE,
WHERE IT WAS SHADED BY THE STEM ITSELF.
NOW THE SUTURE IS PRONOUNCED,
AND THE CHEEKS ARE PLUMP AND BARELY YIELDING.
(southern accent) WHY, I TELL YOU,
IT'S ALMOST TOO MUCH FOR A GOOD SOUTHERN BOY TO BEAR.
(normal voice) NOW IF THIS SPECIMEN WASN'T PERFECT,
I WOULD PARK IT AND ITS SISTERS IN A PAPER BAG
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE FOR A FEW DAYS TO SOFTEN.
NOTICE, I DID NOT SAY "RIPEN."
THAT IS BECAUSE "RIPEN"
SUGGESTS AN INCREASE IN SUGAR DEVELOPMENT,
AND THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE ONCE THIS DEVICE LEAVES THE TREE.
TIME, HOWEVER, CAN CONCENTRATE FLAVOR COMPONENTS
AND ALLOW THE FLESH TO SOFTEN AND BECOME MORE JUICY.
NOW THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THIS PEACH
FROM MARCHING RIGHT PAST RIPENESS
TO, WELL, YOU KNOW, SHARKS, IS TO STOP THE CLOCK,
OR, AT LEAST, SLOW IT DOWN.
♪♪
♪♪
(voice slowing) COLD WILL SLOW DOWN THE ENZYMATIC ACTION
THAT DISSOLVES PECTINS IN THE FRUIT.
(normal voice) AND THAT'LL KEEP THESE FROM GETTING TOO SOFT.
LOW TEMPERATURES ALSO SLOW THE SPREAD
OF AROMATIC COMPOUNDS IN THE MOUTH,
SO ALWAYS BRING PEACHES TO ROOM TEMPERATURE
BEFORE DEVOURING.
HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, BUSTER.
OH, IT'S YOU.
IS THAT ANY WAY TO SPEAK TO THE COUNTESS OF COLD?
I--I GUESS NOT, MISS REFRIGERATOR LADY, MA'AM.
HOW DARE YOU PUT PEACHES IN HERE
WITHOUT EVEN MENTIONING THEIR ABILITY
TO DEFY THE RAVAGES OF TIME?
DO, TELL, OH, PRIESTESS OF PRESERVATION.
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF PHOTOAGING?
OH, YEAH!
THAT'S WHAT MAKES OLD SNAPSHOTS STICK TOGETHER
IN THE OLD FAMILY PICTURE DRAWER.
OH, YOU'RE SO CLEVER!
OH, HEY!
PHOTOAGING IS WHAT THE SUN'S RAYS DO TO THE SKIN,
AND THIS NASTY PROCESS IS ACCELERATED
BY HORRIBLE THINGS CALLED FREE RADICALS
IN THE SKIN'S CELLS.
NOW PEACHES AND NECTARINES CONTAIN BEAUTIFUL COMPOUNDS
CALLED ANTIOXIDANTS-- MORE SPECIFICALLY, PHENOLS--
THAT HELP TO BLOCK THIS PROCESS.
THAT'S WHY I EAT AT LEAST THREE PEACHES A DAY
TO MAINTAIN MY YOUTHFUL AND MILKY COMPLEXION.
REALLY? WOW.
AND HERE ALL ALONG, I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST STEALING MY MILK.
HA HA HA!
THERE YOU GO, BEING CLEVER AGAIN.
HEY... (groans)
THAT'S MY LUNCH, LADY. YOU'RE--
(sighs)
WHERE DOES SHE GO ANYWAY?
I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THE COMBINING OF CAKE AND FRUIT
TO BE POWERFUL MAGIC,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ELEMENTS IN QUESTION
ARE KEPT SUBTLY SEGREGATED.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS APPROACH--
SINGLE-SERVING PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE,
WHICH JUST MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE DESSERT OF ALL TIME.
I KNOW IT'S MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST.
LET'S BAKE, SHALL WE?
FIRST, HOT BOX TO 350 DEGREES.
NOW DIVIDE 2 TABLESPOONS OF UNSALTED BUTTER EVENLY
BETWEEN 4 6-OUNCE RAMEKINS.
YES, THAT'S 1/2 A TABLESPOON PER RAMEKIN.
NEXT, EVENLY DIVIDE 1/4 CUP OF LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
AMONG THE VESSELS,
AND, BY THE WAY, THAT WOULD BE 1 TABLESPOON PER VESSEL.
NOW AS TO THE FRUIT,
YOU WILL NEED TWO MEDIUM PEACHES,
EACH PEELED AND CUT INTO 12 TO 14 SLICES,
ALTHOUGH A VEGETABLE PEELER WOULD WORK ON FIRM FRUIT.
IF YOU HAVE VERY RIPE PEACHES OR A LOT OF ANY KIND OF PEACHES,
YOU WILL WANT TO EMPLOY THE BLANCH.
WHOEVER YOU ARE,
I HAVE ALWAYS DEPENDED UPON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS.
ACTUALLY, I MEANT TO BRING A POT OF WATER TO A BOIL.
CAREFULLY PLACE THE PEACHES INSIDE FOR 30 SECONDS.
THEN EVACUATE TO AN ICE-WATER BATH
FOR ANOTHER 30 SECONDS
AND JUST WIPING THE SKIN OFF WITH A PAPER TOWEL.
MY, YOU HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE JUDICIAL AIR.
ALL RIGHT, THANKS FOR THE LITERATURE LESSON, LADY.
(record needle scratches)
WE'RE MAKING A COOKING SHOW HERE, OKAY?
SORRY.
NOW DEPOSIT THE PEACH PIECES ON TOP OF THE SUGAR,
AND THEN SPRINKLE EACH
WITH FINELY CHOPPED CRYSTALLIZED GINGER.
YOU'RE GONNA NEED ABOUT AN OUNCE OF THAT TOTAL,
AND THAT WOULD BE 3 TABLESPOONS, PLEASE.
NOW WE BEGIN THE BATTER,
AND THE BATTER BEGINS WITH THE DRY TEAM,
AND THE DRY TEAM BEGINS WITH FLOUR.
2.5 OUNCES ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR BY WEIGHT...
(imitating French accent) GOES INTO ZE BOWL.
(normal voice) THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE LEAVENING,
BEGINNING WITH BAKING POWDER--
A TEASPOON WILL DO NICELY--
BAKING SODA--1/8 OF A TEASPOON WILL DO VERY WELL--
AND KOSHER SALT, ALSO 1/8 OF A TEASPOON.
WHISK TO COMBINE.
IN A SEPARATE BOWL, WE MELD THE WET TEAM,
BEGINNING WITH 1/2 CUP OF BUTTERMILK--
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, IF YOU PLEASE--
1/3 CUP OF SUGAR,
1 TABLESPOON OF MELTED NON-SALTED BUTTER
AND 1/2 TEASPOON-- JUST A WEE SHOT--
OF VANILLA EXTRACT.
NOW WHILE I'M WHISKING THIS TOGETHER, PONDER THIS.
WHAT MIXING METHOD ARE WE EMPLOYING HERE?
JUST TAKE A MOMENT. THINK ABOUT IT.
(bell dings)
VERY GOOD.
IT IS THE MUFFIN METHOD.
FIRST, WE MIX ALL THE DRY TEAM TOGETHER.
WE MIX ALL THE WET TEAM TOGETHER--SEPARATE BOWLS--
AND THEN WE MARRY THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO LIQUID GOES ON TOP OF DRY,
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE ABOUT,
AH, 10.2 STIRS.
YES, IT'S LUMPY, BUT I DON'T CARE.
WALK AWAY. JUST--JUST WALK AWAY.
NO MORE STIRRING, OR IT'LL GET ALL TOUGH,
AND YOU WON'T LIKE IT THEN.
SO DEPOSIT THE BATTER EVENLY
ON TOP OF THE FRUIT THUSLY.
REMEMBER, NO STIRRING IS NECESSARY.
THE BATTER WILL PERCOLATE GENTLY DOWN INTO THE FRUIT.
NOW YOU COULD BAKE THESE DIRECTLY ON YOUR OVEN RACKS,
BUT IT COULD GET A LITTLE MESSY,
SO I SUGGEST A HALF SHEET PAN.
SLIDE YOUR NEWLY BORN CAKES
RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE OVEN.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FINAL INTERNAL TEMPERATURE HERE
OF 190 DEGREES.
THAT'S GONNA TAKE 20 TO 25 MINUTES,
GIVE OR TAKE A SECOND OR TWO.
OF COURSE, IT'LL HELP IF I CLOSE THE DOOR.
♪♪
♪♪
AHH, LOOK PERFECT. WE'VE GOT NICE BROWNING.
LET'S CHECK THE TEMPERATURE.
(groans) 188.
IT'LL COAST THE REST OF THE WAY.
NOW THE GOAL IS TO GET THESE OUT
AND LET THEM COOL FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
THEN TURN THEM OUT
BY SIMPLY TAKING A PARING KNIFE,
RUNNING AROUND THE OUTSIDE JUST TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE SYRUP RELEASES NICELY.
THERE WE GO. THEN GRAB YOURSELF A PLATE...
AND OUT IT'LL COME.
NOW THIS IS DELICIOUS JUST AS IT IS,
BUT IF YOU HIT IT WITH A LITTLE WHIPPED CREAM
OR PERHAPS SOME ICE CREAM, IT GETS EVEN BETTER.
AND DID I MENTION THE FACT
THAT THEY'RE JUST AS GOOD AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
AS THEY ARE HOT? AND OH, I TOLD YOU
ABOUT THE WHOLE BREAKFAST THING, RIGHT? GOOD.
(singing opera)
(snoring)
OH, BOY, THE OPERA.
YOU KNOW, NOTHING SAYS "CLASS"
QUITE LIKE A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED LUNG STRETCHER.
YOU KNOW, AT THE TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY,
THE MOST FAMOUS SOPRANO HAILED NOT FROM NEW JERSEY,
BUT AUSTRALIA.
BEHOLD, DAME NELLIE MELBA, DIVA, THE FIRST ORDER.
SHE WAS FAMOUS FOR THREE THINGS--
HER ANGELIC VOICE,
HER ATTENTION-GRABBING PERSONA
AND HER OBSESSIVE ADORATION OF PEACHES.
NOW TO HONOR ONE OF NELLIE'S 1893 PERFORMANCES IN PARIS,
CHEF GEORGES-AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER
OF THE SAVOY HOTEL, NO LESS,
DESIGNED THIS DESSERT THAT COMBINED ICE CREAM,
RASPBERRY SAUCE AND POACHED PEACHES
THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME KNOWN AS PEACH MELBA.
YOO-HOO!
GOOD DAY.
(gasps)
OH!
DID I HEAR SOMEONE MENTION PEACHES?
OH, I JUST LOVE PEACHES! THEY'RE SO SWEET. MMM.
OKAY.
MMM. SO SUCCULENT. MMM.
SO SENSUAL, DON'T YOU THINK?
WELL, I--I DO THINK THEY'RE CUTE. YEAH, UM...
LIKE YOU.
AND, OF COURSE, IN A LOT OF COUNTRIES,
PEACHES HAVE SERVED AS METAPHORS
FOR THINGS... ***.
OHH! DO TELL!
OKAY. EASY THERE, BIG GIRL.
JAPAN, CHINA--
PEACH BLOSSOMS ARE SYMBOLS OF VIRGINITY.
AND...
(laughing)
AND--AND--AND THEY-- OF COURSE, ALSO IN JAPAN,
PEACHES ARE CONSIDERED VERY USEFUL
IN THE EXERCISING OF DEMONS.
EXERCISING DEMONS?
OH, NOW THAT'S THE ONLY EXERCISE I GET.
YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT.
BUT I DO LOVE TO EAT A PEACH.
MM.
WOULD YOU CARE TO JOIN ME AFTER THE SHOW FOR A BUSHEL?
A BUSHEL? SURE. GEE, I'LL JUST HAVE A LITTLE.
OOPS! OH, I'M SORRY.
OH, MY PEACH!
AAH!
(thud, loud crash)
I THINK THAT'S GONNA LEAVE A MARK.
TRADITIONALLY, THE PEACHES IN PEACH MELBA
WOULD ALWAYS BE POACHED IN A SYRUP SUCH AS THIS ONE,
COMPOSED OF...
AND THE GUTS OF ONE VANILLA BEAN.
THIS IS ALL FINE AND GOOD,
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN UP THE FLAVOR ANTE
BY GRILLING OUR PEACHES FIRST.
HERE WE HAVE FOUR LARGE PEACHES,
WHICH HAVE BEEN PEELED, SPLIT AND PITTED,
AND WE'RE ROASTING THOSE FOR ABOUT FOUR MINUTES A SIDE
OVER HIGH HEAT-- ABOUT 500 DEGREES IN HERE.
WE'RE GONNA DO THAT WITH THE SHIELDS DOWN.
NOW WHILE ALL THIS WORKS, WE CAN COMPOSE A SAUCE.
AND, OF COURSE, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEACH MELBA,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A RASPBERRY SAUCE,
SO BREAK OUT YOUR FOOD PROCESSOR AND DUMP IN...
I FIND THAT FROZEN PURéE A LITTLE BETTER...
BOLT ON THE LID, AND TAKE HER FOR A SPIN.
IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS,
YOU'LL HAVE YOURSELF A NICE CREAMY PURéE,
BUT IT IS STILL FULL OF SEEDS, AND THE SEEDS HAVE GOT TO GO,
SO POUR THAT THROUGH A SIEVE,
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUSH THE SAUCE THROUGH
WITH A SPOON OR A SPATULA.
IF YOU SKIP THIS STEP, YOU'LL HAVE SEEDS IN THE SAUCE,
AND YOU'LL HAVE TO GET OUT THE FLOSS AND THE TOOTHPICKS,
AND IT'LL BE UGLY.
THIS, ON THE OTHER HAND, LOOKS GREAT.
WHEN YOUR SYRUP HAS BEEN AT A GOOD HARD BOIL
FOR ABOUT ONE TO TWO MINUTES,
TURN OFF THE HEAT AND EVACUATE YOUR NEWLY COOKED PEACHES
TO A RECTANGULAR BAKING DISH.
THEY'RE NICE AND SOFT,
BUT THEY STILL HAVE A GOOD BIT OF THEIR STRUCTURE INTACT.
AND ONCE YOU'VE GOT THOSE DOWN,
POUR THE SYRUP RIGHT ON TOP OF THEM.
I WANT THIS TO SOAK FOR, EH, PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
SO JUST COVER IT WITH FOIL TO KEEP IT WARM,
AND LET THEM DO WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
TO SERVE, SIMPLY LAY OUT A FEW OF YOUR PEACHES,
DOLE ON A BIT OF ICE CREAM, PERHAPS,
MAYBE A SPRIG OF MINT WOULD BE NICE,
AND, OF COURSE, LOTS AND LOTS OF THE RASPBERRY SAUCE.
AHH.
NEXT STEP IS MY FAVORITE STEP.
GOOD DAY, MY LITTLE WALLABY.
OH, OH, THIS LOOKS SO GOOD, I THINK I COULD SING.
(opera music playing)
WHEN THE DAYS GROW SHORT
AND THE WINDS OF THOR ARE BLOWING COLD,
A NICE JAR OF HOME-PRESERVED PEACHES
SURE CAN CRACK OLD JACK FROST'S STEELY GRASP.
PROBLEM IS, EVEN IF YOU'VE GOT TIME FOR CANNING,
THE COOKING REQUIRED FOR THE PROCESS
SAPS PEACHES OF THEIR FRESH FLAVOR
AND FLATTENS THEIR MEATY TEXTURE TO A PULP.
BUMMER.
IRONICALLY, ALL THIS SUMMER GOODNESS CAN EASILY BE PRESERVED
BY THE PROPER APPLICATION
OF THE VERY ELEMENT WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE.
THAT'S RIGHT, COLD.
BUT PROPER PREP IS A PREREQUISITE FOR SUCCESS.
LET'S SAY THAT YOU HAD A POUND AND A HALF OF RIPE PEACHES
PEELED AND CUT INTO CHUNKS.
NOW FREEZING THESE AS IS WOULD BE A BAD IDEA.
WHY?
COME HERE.
I REALIZE THAT IF YOU'RE A FAN OF THIS PROGRAM,
YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THIS DEMO AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES,
BUT, HEY, SOME THINGS BEAR REPEATING.
LET US IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT
THAT THIS IS A PULP CELL INSIDE YOUR PEACH,
AND LET US IMAGINE ALSO THAT THIS IS AN ICE CRYSTAL.
WHEN THE TWO COME TOGETHER, IT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
(dramatic music playing)
ARE WE CLEAR? GOOD.
NOW WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT?
THE SUBSTANCE THAT WE CALL SUGAR IS ACTUALLY SUCROSE,
A DISACCHARIDE OR DOUBLE SUGAR.
NOW SUCROSE IS WORLD FAMOUS FOR BEING HYGROSCOPIC,
MEANING THAT IT LOVES TO GRAB HOLD OF WATER
AND HOLD IT AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL.
BY ADDING SOME SUCROSE TO OUR PEACHES,
SOME OF THE MOISTURE WILL BE PULLED OUT OF THE PEACHES
AND WILL CREATE A SYRUP WITH THE SUCROSE.
NOW WHAT'S GROOVY ABOUT THAT IS THAT WHEN THE SYRUP FREEZES,
THE SUCROSE WILL HOLD ON TO SOME OF THE WATER,
AND THAT WILL PREVENT THE ICE CRYSTALS FROM GETTING SO BIG
THAT THEY POKE HOLES IN ALL THE CELLS
AND MAKE US LOSE ALL OUR MOISTURE WHEN THE PEACHES THAW.
GOT IT? GOOD.
FOR A POUND AND A HALF OF PEACHES, I WOULD THINK...
WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
WAIT A SECOND.
NEITHER SUCROSE NOR FREEZING COLD
WILL PREVENT THESE PEACHES FROM TURNING BROWN WITH TIME.
FOR THAT, WE'LL NEED AN ACID.
WELL, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STOPPING AN OXIDATIVE PROCESS,
WHY NOT USE AN ANTIOXIDANT?
THAT'S RIGHT.
MOST OF US HAVE A LITTLE ASCORBIC ACID,
GOOD OLD VITAMIN C,
AND I'D SAY THAT ABOUT 500 MILLIGRAMS SHOULD DO THE TRICK.
THAT'S HALF OF ONE OF THESE GUYS.
NOW JUST CRUSH THAT BETWEEN A COUPLE OF SPOONS.
DISSOLVE IN 3 TABLESPOONS OF WATER
AND MIX INTO THE PEACHES BEFORE YOU ADD THE SUGAR.
YOU'LL NEVER SEE BROWN AGAIN.
THERE.
LET THESE SIT FOR 15 MINUTES SO THAT A GOOD, THICK SYRUP FORMS.
THEN YOU MAY TRANSFER THEM
TO THE CONTAINMENT VESSEL OF YOUR CHOICE.
MINE--ZIP-TOP FREEZER BAGS.
I LIKE TO FREEZE MY PEACHES ON A FLAT SURFACE
BEFORE FILING THEM AWAY FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE.
IT MAKES THEM A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO DEAL WITH.
NOW THESE ARE GOOD FOR 1,001 DIFFERENT PURPOSES,
BUT IF YOU WANT TO COOK WITH THEM,
YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON HOLDING BACK
ABOUT A 1/3 OF THE TOTAL SUGAR IN ANY GIVEN RECIPE,
OR YOU CAN COUNT THEM AS YOU WOULD
AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF PEACHES CANNED IN A HEAVY SYRUP.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH
TO KEEP THE SHARKS OF MY CHILDHOOD AT BAY
FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SEE YA NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS."
Captioning provided by Scripps Networks, Inc.
Captioned by Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
BUT I JUST LOVE TO EAT A PEACH.
WOULD YOU CARE TO JOIN ME IN A BUSHEL AFTER THE SHOW?
IN A BUSHEL OR FOR A BUSHEL?
IT DOESN'T MATTER. OFF YOU GO.
AAH!