millions of peaches…

Wait, are you wondering about the birthday treat giveaway? Well, I’m still taking ideas, as I have 2 more weeks to go before the big day! And remember, it doesn’t have to be cake. Cookies, brownies, pies… the options are endless! So keep ’em coming!

So, I have sad news. I am not at Vida Con this weekend as originally planned. Life came up and I just had to go with it. I’m truly bummed, but hopefully will be able to go next year. I hope everyone is living it up!

How to soothe the sadness? With the Treat of the Week, of course!

Blackberries grow like weeds in Oregon. Any bit of uncultivated land that exists is rife with blackberry bramble, from the side of the highway to the edges of lawn to the middle of the woods. This time of year you can’t go anywhere without coming across a patch (or two or twenty). They are an invasive species, so while they are bothersome to the conservationists for most folks they are just plain awesome. I have a major section of jogging trail near my house that is bursting with ripe berries, so I braved the Oregon heat (which is nothing, but deterred my berry picking competitors) last weekend to gather my bounty.

I am a berry purest and aside from canning rarely do much to alter them from their natural form. This time around I used them as the icing on the shortcake, topped with a lovely peaches and cream sauce I canned a couple of weeks ago.

Peaches & Cream Sauce

This sauce would be perfect topping some creamy coconut ice cream, over cake, stirred into oatmeal… under pretty much any flavorful circumstance. I canned my sauce but if you don’t want to can it, you can put it in jars and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. I imagine frozen peaches would work just fine, but you may need to add a little more sugar to perk them up.

2 1/2 lbs of peaches, peeled and pitted (about 6 cups, chopped)
1 1/2- 2 cups organic sugar (dependent on taste)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. vanilla paste (or 2 vanilla beans, soak in peach syrup for 10 minutes before pureeing and then scrape seeds into pureed sauce or 3 tbsp. vanilla extract)

If canning, prepare canning accessories. In a large stockpot combine the peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until peaches release juices, about 15 minutes. Stirring often, raise temp to medium high and cook until bubbling and sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, process peaches until mostly smooth, but a little chunky. Return to pot and add vanilla. Cook for 5 more minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened.

Remove from heat. If canning, fill jars and process according to manufacturers directions. Yields 5 1/2 pint jars.