Colorado Peaches. . .The Wait is Over

A couple weekends ago we went to the Lafayette Peach Festival - our first because we had no soccer to be to!  We went early to beat the heat and the people. . .neither of which was avoided by our early arrival.  We wandered the various street vendors while sucking down fresh peach smoothies and fresh, still-hot, peach crisp ala mode.  Ah, the breakfast of champions.  We did a little bouncy castle bouncing - well the 4 y.o. did.  We did the standing in the sun and sweating.  We did a little shopping.  We saw a pack of bassets, okay I did, which always makes my day.  We loaded up on peaches - and the 20+ pounds per flat made us grateful for the close parking we snagged.

If you love peaches - and I do, my second favorite fruit next to cherries - then you wait all year for the peaches to come to town.  In a vain attempt to grab that flavor you try to buy the ones at the grocery store, but you're disappointed every time.  The closest you get is white nectarines.  But when you bite that first fresh Colorado peach you realize there is no substitute. Trucked down from Palisades, on the Western Slope, the size of soft balls (seriously, soft balls), filled with such juicy goodness they melt in your mouth.  And sun ripened sweetness...Oh my.

We picked up two flats - we pretty much ate one whole flat.  The other I tried my best to save that late summer sweetness by canning up four quarts for when the winter wind comes rolling in and I want that "the peaches are here" memory.  I've never canned peaches, I usually just slice and freeze, so it'll be interesting to see how they taste.

I also cooked up a small batch of Peach Freezer Jam.  Another no frill recipe that hopefully captures the paradise flavor.

So we've plowed through two flats and we're still wanting.  The discussion is on for making the four hour trip to the western slope to grab some more!

Happy Wednesday,