Peach butter, peach ginger chicken, mustard green beans, baked apples

After having a kitchen filled with freshly picked peaches something had to be done with them immediately- eekk! Peaches have a zero tolerance for shelf life so I decided to do some canning. My childhood fears of monitoring an ancient pressure cooker that I was told (nonchalantly) had actually exploded, are certainly not the whole story of canning. Water bath canning is actually pretty easy. Phew, what a relief.

This is a two-part recipe. But so easy, I promise.

Crock pot peach butter with ginger and mint

(c) Can Stock Photo

Reader stories : Peach pie

Food is community, conversation; stories. And we want to hear yours! Did you catch that we want to thank you for stopping by our website? If you would be so kind as to submit a story to us by October 5th you will be entered to win $20 in products from the Oklahoma Food Coop. 

Our first reflection comes from my friend Mary, who was also my website designer.  Didn't she do a lovely job? Thank you for giving my words such a beautiful home! XO- Hannah

 By Mary Arteche
@ theyellowdoorpaperie.blogspot.com

Image By Mary Arteche

When Jayne and I cook we almost always make something in a large batch. Then we can, freeze, store or bake for hours. One ambitious summer end we froze apple pie filling, sliced carrots, whole jalapenos, diced peaches and corn. We boiled and baked bagels. We made her Mother's recipe for the most buttery cookies.

We both have midsized families and large kitchen tables and we thrive at feeding others.

This particular Saturday we split a lug of Colorado peaches. These peaches are waited for, coveted. They only come into our local grocery once a year. And signs go up outside saying "While They Last!," "Limited Time" and  "Stop in Today!"

Pickin' Peaches at a Polyface

It was a grueling hot day, when you step out of the car and sweat beads on your lip, when we went to pick peaches in mid July. I had hoped yearned for blackberries, but although the guides said they should be in season, there were none to be found. They had either shriveled or been knocked over by the recent golf ball to softball sized hail. Farming: Not for the faint of heart.