The peaches are in!

[LEdlund]

I got some peaches from Rama in the market basket on Monday, and they were excellent. I have a 25 lb box on order to pick up on Friday...

Which means I'll have some in my basket tonight!

I love, love, love Pence peaches. I've never tried Rama's so I didn't order any from the Market Basket Bulk Sale.

I know what I'm having for dessert tonight......................

[lunchrider]

when it comes to peaches search out

Suncrest, they have been terrific this year

maybe at a farmer's market

At the Portland or Hillsdale market Bairds has them

fantastic flavor fresh eating or a simple cobler (cook's illistrated last issue has a great recipe)

[BastilaShan]

Bought some as well and the Frog Hollow ones are amazingly good!!

Admiral Thriftway had both peaches out side-by-side for taste tests and the Frog Hollow wins!

[skyflyer3]

I picked up some Rama ones at the market as well, and they were splendid. In addition, I picked up a variety of nectarines from another Columbia City market seller - red golds, arctic whites, flame nectarines - diced them up with the peaches and tossed in a few blackberries and made the free-form tart that was in the latest Cooks Illustrated. The crust was wonderful, but the fruit (which I knew was all sweet, since I took nibbles of some slices as I made it) turned out sour after I baked it. Which made me sad and perplexed. Do pitted fruits turn sour when you bake them? I didn't add much sugar to them because I didn't think they needed any. Please help.

I love to eat them sliced with Total Yogurt and a little bit of honey. As far as judging if they are sweet, I go by the smell test and the gold test. I've always heard that the deeper the golden color on peaches and nectarines, especially in the areas around the stem, the sweeter it will be. Seems to work really well.

[OnlyTheBest]

Are any of these Pence or Frog Hollow peaches avilable at any other stores?? or is it just an exclusive deal with metropolition market or the thriftways.

Thanks

[BastilaShan]

The ones at Pike Market are really good too.

I used to get my peaches from the fruit store on the same side as Lowell's and they were just as good as the Frog Hollow and Pence peaches.

Unfortunately, it's a pain to park at the market and I dont go there often now.

[laurel]

BastilaShan, did you know you can park for free for up to one hour in the market garage on Western (The PPM website should have directions to it if you don't know where it is). The garage has an elevator and bridge over Western that gets you right between Sosio's and the pepper jelly people.

During tourist hours it's definitely a pain to walk through the market though

[lala]

Get in and out by 10am on weekends, and you'll get the best stuff, and avoid the tourists.

Edited August 13, 2004 by lala (log)

[Sleepy_Dragon]

Any tricks? Or just spend the money on the case and figure on getting some good ones? If that's the way to go, there must be someplace cheaper than the thriftway.

In addition to a previous suggestion about the color (thanks skyflyer!), peaches also ripen and get juicier with a fuller bouquet when placed in a brown paper bag for a day or so. If you want to space out your peaches a bit, pick a few out that are a little on the hard side and stick in the bag the ones you want to eat tomorrow.

Some of the folks at Sosio's are also good about picking peaches out for people and differentiating between ones to eat right away and ones that are better in the very near future, though it depends on which person there does the picking.

Pat, also enjoying the peachfest

[LaurieA-B]

Where are you getting good peaches this year? I've had no luck so far. I've bought Red Haven peaches from a couple of different vendors at the Broadway farmers market (11-3 Sunday), which have ranged from okay to terrible (hard, tasteless, unripe). When I stopped by Metropolitan Market a couple of weeks ago, the peaches from Pence hadn't come in yet (delayed, still on the tree). Does anyone know the current status? How are the peaches from Rama? If I hear good word, I'll trek over to the U-District on Saturday or Pike Place on Wednesday to the Rama stand. We were at PPM last Friday and none of the peaches seemed that great (and I bought some that weren't, in fact, that great; soft enough to bruise easily, but mealy and tasteless). I want ripeness!

[kiliki]

I bought some at the vendor with the "Donut Peaches" awning on wednesday at the Market that were good, but not fabulous. I looked for Rama two weeks ago and found only an unmanned, un-peached booth with their name on it, and last wednesday they weren't there at all.

If you're heading to the market you might ask the folks at Frank's what's best. They're often samplling out some peach or another that's especially good that day.

Edited August 22, 2005 by kiliki (log)

[dandelion]

Metro Market now has Pence peaches both at both the Queen Anne and West Seattle locations, but I've got to say that they're just not good this year. At both locations, the peaches are still hard, even though they look pretty and ripe. The one I tried just wasn't sweet at all. These might be good for baking, but not for biting into and eating fresh.

The Peach-O-Rama just doesn't have that festive feeling of the past years! Also, they don't give the Brix values for all of the different peaches anymore... I miss that.

[chadum]

Rama is usually at the Wedensday Pike Place Market Organic Day. They are by far my favorite peach vendor. Last week I was told, by Rick Lynn, that they had reached the end of the Red Havens and would be bringing in later varieties soon.

[cburnsi]

Where are you getting good peaches this year? I've had no luck so far. I've bought Red Haven peaches from a couple of different vendors at the Broadway farmers market (11-3 Sunday), which have ranged from okay to terrible (hard, tasteless, unripe). When I stopped by Metropolitan Market a couple of weeks ago, the peaches from Pence hadn't come in yet (delayed, still on the tree). Does anyone know the current status? How are the peaches from Rama? If I hear good word, I'll trek over to the U-District on Saturday or Pike Place on Wednesday to the Rama stand. We were at PPM last Friday and none of the peaches seemed that great (and I bought some that weren't, in fact, that great; soft enough to bruise easily, but mealy and tasteless). I want ripeness!

←

I bought some excellent peaches at Peachorama this year. The Pence O'Henry's which were there and gone in one day on Queen Anne. Just Friday I bought a case of Cal Red's (my favorite) from Frog Hollow farms. They needed a couple of more days to ripen, but at breakfast this morning they were better than the best "oh my gawd" peaches from Sosio's. I think ALOT depends on the variety and timing.

[lala]

I've been happy with the Pences (I think. Not the organic ones) at Met Mart. And I got some awesome peaches at Frank's a few weeks ago. They called them the "Princess" variety, but they may have been yanking my chain. Anyhoo, they sure were tasty!

[pupcart]

I've been happy with the Pences (I think. Not the organic ones) at Met Mart. And I got some awesome peaches at Frank's a few weeks ago. They called them the "Princess" variety, but they may have been yanking my chain. Anyhoo, they sure were tasty!

←

Okay, this might not be a very helpful post, because the Columbia City Farmer's Market is only held once weekly on Wednesdays from 3 to 7, but I picked up a couple of the "Princess" variety peaches tonight, along with a tart-er peach - "White Star" and a some absolutely stellar nectarines that almost rocked my taste buds out of their seats.

My guess is that since a lot of the vendors at Columbia City travel to the other markets (my favorite, Stoney Plains Organic, does Olympia, University, Columbia City and West Seattle), you will find fresh peaches at the other farmer's markets. AND, unlike most grocery stores, you can actually taste a little sample before you buy the peach or nectarine. The sample I had of the Princess yielded an absolute pure peach sugar flavor, while the White Star had a little bit more punch to it, a little tart, perfect for pie or for folks who like a more pronounced flavor. Not that I think there is anything in the world wrong with sugar masquerading as a fresh peach, but variety in fab peaches makes me happy.

The new Gala apples were also in, and they were fantastic. I also bought fresh green and purple okra which I will slice and saute in sweet butter with a few new Walla Wallas and a LOT of fresh white corn shaved off the ear and into the pan. Add a little basil and a little fresh oregano...okay. Wait. We were talking about peaches, but did I tell you they were selling fresh blue huckleberries for $7.50 a pound? The mushroom guy had 'em.

August and September simply ROCK when it comes to northwest produce. Makes me SO very happy to be hungry this time of year. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning and have a bowl of greek yogurt with some sliced peaches and berries...

[MT-Tarragon]

I was in eastern WA this past weekend and picked up peaches at a fruit stand near Royal City. Delicious. Some of the best I've had for some time. My new favorite way of eating them (other than just normal bites from raw fruit) is to cut them in half and grill them and serve with vanilla ice cream. It's like pie without the crust.

[Schielke]

Central market had washington tree-ripened peaches on sale for .99 a pound. They were great.

[cburnsi]

Central market had washington tree-ripened peaches on sale for .99 a pound.  They were great.

←

Had? Are they gone now? I see a peach pie in my future. Or baked peach halves with amaretti crumbled inside.....

[Schielke]

I havent been back since they were there late last week so there is a chance the sale is gone. You might want to give them a ring.

Ben

[DanM]

RuthBourdain: I smell peaches. Turned on, I stand at the sink, juice dripping down my arms, biting into the flesh. Wow. I guess I'm into rough fruitsex.

Peach season is in full gear in CT. Personally, I think there is nothing better than a peach, or three, chased down with a glass of bourbon. I plan on picking a ton of them before Irene comes and possibly kills the crop.

I am interested in finding more savory applications. Any thoughts?

Dan

Edited August 24, 2011 by DanM (log)

[Kouign Aman]

grilled, with chili/hot pepper (one of the fruity ones) and salt?

[slschnur]

Cut into thirds, wrapped in prosciutto pinned by toothpicks, brushed with olive oil, grilled, served with reduced balsamic drizzle or Saba.

[KatieLoeb]

RuthBourdain: I smell peaches. Turned on, I stand at the sink, juice dripping down my arms, biting into the flesh. Wow. I guess I'm into rough fruitsex.

Peach season is in full gear in CT. Personally, I think there is nothing better than a peach, or three, chased down with a glass of bourbon. I plan on picking a ton of them before Irene comes and possibly kills the crop.

I am interested in finding more savory applications. Any thoughts?

Dan

Since you're already onto the peach/bourbon pairing of the gods, try THIS drink I came up with if you have a smoker available to you. If you're going to have a metric boatload of peaches, smoking some up might be a good way to keep them for a short while at least. Actually, I'll bet you could either freeze them once smoked or buzz them up in the blender with a bit of simple syrup and add a little overproof vodka to preserve the smoked peach syrup refrigerated for at least a little while.

Smoked peaches might be tasty and very savory layered into a trifle or made into a a cobbler too.

[Shelby]

Got a case of Colorado peaches!  Peach pie will be made this afternoon (please pray to the pie crust gods for me) and then I think I'm going to can the rest so that I can have a taste of summer in the dead of winter.