Peaches Please!

The pink of the peach stands out in black background

I think one of the most gorgeous fruits is the pink peach.  It has that fresh blush color that looks so pretty (I wish the cosmetic companies might one day come up with a blusher with the exact shade of the pink peach, it would look so healthy and lovely on the cheeks!). 

   

Sometimes, the color of the pink peach might deceive the eye of the beholder who might mistake it as Fuji apple.  But if you are already familiar with pink peach, you will distinguish that it has a prettier flush of pink.  And unlike the apple which has a shiny satiny skin, the pink peach has a velvety skin texture.  

When it comes to the taste, I love the taste of good ripe pink peaches.  It’s not overwhelming yet definitely not bland.  The sweetness is just enough to take and there’s hardly a hint of sourness.  I think the pink peach is a feminine fruit.  It is a simile of a lady who looks elegant yet you’ll be surprise that she’s easy to get along with.  

Fresh pink peaches in the fruit stall

The Chinese revere the peach as a sign of longevity.  They give it to their parents as a sign of good health and long and comfortable life.  My Chinese blood is just 12 1/2 percent, but I gave a peach figurine to my parents a few years ago as a present for Grandparents’ Day.  

Prosperous old couple inside the peach figurine

 

Chinese characters that endow longevity and prosperity engraved at the back of the peach figurine

Canned yellow peaches

  

You will seldom find pink peach preserves in the grocery and similar stores.  There are canned peaches in syrup, but they are the yellow variety, that looks a cross between mango and pear.  

So, I am making pink peach preserve.

 

Pink Peach Preserve

3 large pink peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges

125 g refined white sugar

2 tbsp honey

Nutmeg

½ tsp lemon zest

Lemon, honey and nutmeg enhance the flavor of pink peaches

Mix peach wedges and sugar in a large ceramic bowl.  Do not use plastic bowl as it will affect the taste.  Cover the bowl with cling wrap.  Chill (do not freeze!) in the fridge for 18-24 hours.   The peaches will release their pink juice in this span of time.  

Pour the entire mixture into a casserole over medium-high heat until it boils.  You must keep close watch over the mixture to prevent it from burning.  Do not leave.  Switch heat to medium-low while simmering for 5 minutes.  The pink juice will now turn passionate red.   

The delicate pink juice turns deep red when cooked

Turn heat to low.  Keep on stirring while simmering to prevent the mixture from clumping in the bottom of the casserole.  When the mixture is already thick, add the honey and lemon zest.  Stir.  Sprinkle some nutmeg.  Keep on stirring.  When you are satisfied with thickness of the consistency, remove from heat. Let the preserve cool in room temperature.

The delicious pink peach preserve

 

Pink peach preserve ready for the taking

Meanwhile, sterilize a glass canister.  Dry it with clean paper towel.  Transfer the cooled peach preserve in the canister and seal cap tightly.   

You can use peach preserve as filling for your puff pastry, as topping together with macadamia nuts over vanilla ice cream, as spread for your soda crackers or wafers topped with grated goat cheese.  You can simply eat this peach preserve, since its just-right-sweetness could never go wrong.