Peaches in Winter?
 

My girlfriend really loves peaches. I’m okay with peaches, but being European and a trained chef, I’m highly attuned to the seasonality and quality of produce.

But she REALLY likes peaches.

This Christmas, with her being a teacher and me being unemployed and sick, we’re keeping it very small, but I would like to give her ONE gift that will be memorable and also not more junk that nobody needs.

Hence, my idea for winter peaches, and specifically, is it possible to acquire them from the Southern Hemisphere where if grown, they’d be in-season now?

One gift is better than none, and one memorable gift is better than ten Amazon boxes of future trash.

So I come to ask a fairly simple yet moronic question: is it possible to order fresh peaches in the US in December?

(the odd thing is, we can get all sorts of tropical fruit any time of the year, but peaches are somehow omitted by all the various online fruit companies I’ve inquired of about them)

cheers!

I don't think peaches ship well since they bruise easily & don't last long.

Peaches come from a can
They were put there by a man
In a factory downtown
If I had my little way
I'd eat peaches every day


(Good luck to the OP)

Afraid any fresh peaches you find during the winter months in the U.S. will be disappointing. Not the perfect alternative but a trained chef should be able to create a really nice baked desert from frozen peaches beautifully presented that would be very much appreciated. Frozen peaches picked at the perfect time will be much superior to peaches shipped from South America. I would at least consider an alternative such as I suggested. Put on your Toque and create a brilliant one of a kind dish.

It's a lovely thought - but I agree with those who have said peaches are highly seasonal. It's tough to get a superb peach in season and I think it's near impossible in winter.

true, but you CAN order them when in season here - so I would think that some sort of overnight box with padding and a coolant might work, from, say, Chile?

I guess the price would be exorbitant for that.

Perhaps you can do something fun with canned peaches, such as the 12 days of peach desserts?

- peach pie
- peach crumble
- peach crisp
- peach cobbler

Here's a list of 50 peach desserts:

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collecti...essert-recipe/

You can also do some savories, such as
- hot peach bbq sauce
- peaches and chicken

and so forth.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collecti...peach-recipes/

Your gift would be the thought, the research, and the execution. I would be thrilled if my husband gave me such a gift - even if it was 3 or 4 peach dishes, and not the 12 I propose.

C'mon, man, you can't possibly quote that without the requisite YouTube link!


Love the random ninjas.

Best idea here, short of a trip to the Southern Hemisphere (where I'll be eating fresh summer stone fruit in a few weeks ;) )While the stone fruits generally "ripen" after picking, they sugar content is stuck in time at harvest date (way too green) and then they're often subjected to near-freezing temps at some point during the shipping process. So, there goes the taste, and then sometimes the texture.

A complete meal where peaches star in each dish. Sounds like a fun challenge

I just have to ask: How does she feel about Herb?

You're both right, I think that's what I'll do. At least desserts, because she hates savory foods with sweet ingredients.

Challenge accepted!


I remember watching this episode on The Food Network. It was awesome when the Iron Chef dismissed his staff.

If she feels about Herb, the OP may not be making any peach dishes for her ;) A nice pork chop with a savory peach sauce (with some garlic, rosemary, etc.) could be delish. But probably too sweet for the OP's GF, notwithstanding Herb.

Is it possible to have the essence of peach without the sweetness? Pork loin or chateaubriand sounds like possible protein choices that might lend themselves to a sauce or glaze of peach.