Preserving Peaches

This is a photo of the peaches that I bottled this weekend. :)

When I was young, my parents grew a very large garden. Our summers were spent weeding the garden (at least a half-hour each morning) and the early fall harvesting fruits and vegetables. I spent hours snipping beans on the back patio, scrubbing beats under the outside faucet, cutting corn off the cob and putting it in freezer bags, picking blackberries, and so much more.

Because my mom made us help with all the tasks (we didn't have an "option"as my nephew would say) I learned how to do a lot of domestic things. At the time I didn't appreciate having to do this work, but years later I do. This is the first year that I have bottled peaches on my own. I told my mom that now I understood why she made us help-- because it takes FOREVER when you do it alone!

I must confess that despite my training, I've called my sister a few times and mom at least once for advice or to ask "what do I do if." My sister's best advice was to buy a serrated peeler. This works great for peaches or other soft fruits. I stopped at Williams-Sonoma after work and bought a 3-pack for only $15. One peeler is regular, one julienne, and the other the serrated. I haven't tried the other two, but the serrated one works great on peaches.

Here's to another fabulous thing about fall-- eating fresh peaches!