Does the heat have you hunkering down yet this summer?
We’ve definitely felt the waves from the sun! While I’m taking some beautiful photos in Lakewood for families, my own family is looking for ways to cool off.
One of our favorite ways to beat the heat is to get away into the mountains for fly fishing or camping. When we can’t get up to the hills, we’re home calling back the Georgia summers with a favorite pastime.
Peaches
Georgia is known for its peaches and everything you can create with them. As soon as I moved here, I had to experience the buzz around Palisade Peaches.
Now, maybe it’s because I’m a southern girl at heart, but these peaches didn’t give me the same experience that I had every summer in Georgia.
You could smell the peaches as soon as you went into a store or farmers market. The soft white fuzz protecting the sunset hued skins would invite you over to touch.
You’d find one as big as Andre the Giant’s palm and wrap your teeth around it, only to be covered from cheek to cheek with drippings of the most amazing sweetness you’ve ever experienced.
The smile on your face is unparalleled by any other food, except maybe a juicy, sweet watermelon.
This is the Georgia Peach experience.
I have never really gotten that with a Colorado peach. Maybe I’m missing something? Maybe, just maybe, I’m giving myself another reason to go home every summer!
No matter my maybe, I most definitely use Palisade peaches for my summer cocktails, mocktails, and desserts. Getting a crate of these local beauties is a must for any peach lover living in Colorado.
As for the peached pictures above. I happened to do some of my research and development in Simpsonville, SC and drove out to Fischer’s Orchard and one of their stands to find some sweet smelling Southern peaches to photograph.
Making Peach Long Island Iced Tea
I’ll start here and hopefully you can sip on your drink while you finish reading the blog!
There are a few ways you can infuse summer into this favorite cocktail. If you have the time, you can soak your cut peaches in the alcohol mix overnight or even a few hours, then pour over ice and add a splash of cola or sweet and sour mix.
If you don’t have the time, you may want to add peach flavored schnapps for an extra peachy boost.
What you’ll need is half a peach for every glass. Slice or cube, it’s up to you. If you’re going to infuse them (soak in alcohol) you can add all the cut peaches you need to a pitcher. If not, put the desired amount into each glass.
Pour into the pitcher/glass 1 oz each per serving of vodka, rum, gin, and tequila. When you’re ready, add the splash of cola or sweet and sour mix (or both!).
Again, add 1 oz per serving of peach schnapps if you’re not infusing the peaches before serving.
When you’re ready to serve, add some ice and a slice of peach on the side of the glass, and your summer getaway in a glass is served!
Peach Tea Your Kids Will Love
While you enjoy your adult tea, here’s one the kids will choose over Kool-Aid every time. Just make sure you use a different glass so they don’t think yours is theirs!
You can use a black tea if that’s what you have hanging out in the cupboard. If you have white tea, you may find it’s less overpowering for the peach flavor.
A great way to do this is by brewing it in the sun. Kids LOVE this because they get to watch the tea slowly take over the water and peaches. If you start in the morning, you’ll be pouring by the afternoon heat wave.
Start by removing the pit and mashing or pureeing 2-3 peaches. Add everything to a glass pitcher and cover with warm water. Place 3 bags of white tea into the water with the strings hanging outside of the lid, and close it up.
If you want to spice it, you can add cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise to an empty tea bag and place that in the pitcher as well.
Ideally, find a place in your yard or on a patio that is in direct sunlight for at least 4 hours, otherwise you’ll be moving your concoction along the sun’s path. You want it in the heat for as long as possible.
Watch the slow brew take place or forget about it until it’s done! Hopefully the neighbor's cat won’t get curious and knock it over.
Once you’ve got a deeply hued pitcher of sun tea, bring it inside and give it a taste. Some people love sweet tea and you can add vanilla syrup or sugar to the pitcher after it’s done brewing.
Before you pour it over ice into some glasses, make sure you use a strainer to keep peach bits from going into the glasses if you prefer. Make sure to save those peaches for a fun twist on vanilla ice cream for dessert! (Oh! You can do this with green tea as well. Another way to play!)
Just one more option for this amazing tea is to add all of it (peaches included) to a blender with equal or a little less lemonade and blend. You’ll have an awesome peach lemonade with some peaches as a prize in the glass.
Did I hear “ice cream?” Again?! I think someone in this house is wanting to find every way to make this into a dessert. If you made it with green or white tea, add a little ice cream to the blender with the lemonade and see what happens!
Peach Infusions
Going back to the Long Island Iced Tea recipe, I explained how to infuse alcohol into your peaches (or vice versa).
Infusions are a versatile option for baking, drinks, and adding zip to a salad or even barbeque. Please be conscious of how you share these infused fruits if your kids are around, the alcohol content is still present.
Your desired result will actually determine what type of alcohol you want as the infusion base. Rum will give you a more spicy and dark flavor, while gin gives the least addition of flavor and is less likely to cover the peaches.
This is important to know, especially if the peaches aren’t ripe and full of flavor. For this, if you pick your peaches up from a farmer’s market, you might want to go later in the day and get the ones that have been picked over.
Those are typically “too ripe” and people skip those because they’re not great for cutting or eating directly. They also have some of the best flavor and are perfect for baking and infusing.
I’ve noticed in Colorado that peaches go quick, so don’t go too late or you might miss out on getting any entirely!
You’ll want to avoid any parts of the peach that are “mealy.” It’s when the meat of the fruit is almost shredded, mushy, and there’s little to no flavor. Peaches can also be “woody” or hard and flavorless. This happens when they’re not ripe or have been picked early, frozen and shipped.
Once you know how you’ll use your infusion, cube or slice the fruit and layer it in a container, then cover with the alcohol of your choice.
Examples of How to Use Infused Peaches are:
Spiced rum and sliced peaches for a peach upside down cake
Creme de Menthe liqueur and bourbon infused peaches for twist on the Mint Julep
Vodka infused peaches with ginger beer for a twisted Moscow Mule
Your favorite white wine infused with peaches
Bourbon and peaches boiled down for barbeque sauce
Rum and peaches boiled down and infused to make a syrup, great for ice cream!
On that note, I think you know how we like to enjoy this delicious fruit every summer. Thank the heavens for warm days and cool nights on the Western Slope to create these little gems for our delight.
Thanks for joining me on this culinary adventure. We’re headed out to get our crate and some fly fishing in. I hope you enjoy some peaches and share with me what you discover when making your favorite dish or drink in the comments section below!!
Cheers!
~Kim
This peek into Kim’s world was brought to you by Emily Kamala. Emily is a freelance writer and life coach who loves to share stories, write blogs, and experience life so fully she has to bring it to life on the page. If you’re interested in reading more of her work, you can visit: EmilyKamala.com
Kim Morgan has brought her passion for connecting and telling stories through photography to life. Her ability to put you and your family at ease is so palpable you don’t even realize she’s behind the camera getting those precious moments for you to carry with you many years later. She lives in Colorado with her husband, son, and dog, where they enjoy exploring the mountains and laughing at every opportunity. Her website is KWDesignsPhotography.com to see her amazing work and set up your session!