Blanching Peaches - Recipe

Blanching peaches is a process that when all the stars are aligned, it is a joy to complete.  If not aligned, it is, well, it is just not.  This is how I align my stars.

1)  Select ripe peaches:  I like to choose peaches that give a little when I press in with my thumb.  I seem to have great luck with farm market peaches.  They are often ready and ripe for the picking, so you don't have to wait.

2)  Get out your Equipment:
2 Large pasta or stock pots
1 Spider (the kitchen utensil kind, not the bug)
Oven Mitts
Timer
Large Bowl
Cutting board
Small Pairing Knife

3) Prepare Ingredients:
Rinse off the peaches you are going to blanch and lay them on a paper towel.  Fill one of the stock pots with water, and bring to a boil.  Place cold water and ice into another large pot.

4)  Determine Blanching time:  Test the blanching time with one peach.  Lower it into the boiling water with the spider, wearing oven mitts, and take it out in 1 1/2 minutes.  Retrieve with the spider, wearing oven mitts, and place into the ice water for about 3 minutes until it is cool enough to handle.  Fish it out, pat dry, and using your fingers start to peel starting from the stem area pulling down.  Sometimes it is easier with a small pairing knife.  If it does not come off easily, and you are struggling with it, place the peach back into the boiling water for another 1 1/2 minutes.  Repeat the ice bath, and try peeling again.  The skin should come off more easily this time.  It does not have to slide off like a tomato skin, it just needs to easily peel.  You should be able to peel off some large pieces at a time.  Place your peeled peach in the bowl.

5)  Blanch the Peaches:  Use the above method to blanch your peaches only 3-4 at a time using your determined time (mine took 3 minutes this time).  If you try to fill the pot with too many at a time, it will cool the water down too much and it will take much longer to blanch.  You can then cut the peaches into sections, and separate them from the stone.  If they are cling peaches, you will have to slice them off.