Peach Sorbet

Peach sorbet makes a delicious amuse bouche because it hits the “sweet spot”, but is not too sweet. This was my personal lagniappe for the French Creole dinner and it was a perfect fit in-between turtle soup and a petite filet.

A Little Peach History

Growing up listening to grandparents refer to a nice lady as a “Georgia peach” and using other aphorisms, I would have guessed they originated in Georgia. It was called the peach state and became its official nickname in 1995. I would be wrong of course, because peaches originated in China somewhere between 6000-2000 B.C.. From there they were introduced to Persia, then Europe and finally the U.S..

Peaches are fuzzy and the skin is edible just like a banana, but most are peeled before consumption. The seeds or pits are correctly referred to as “stones”. All peaches are either a freestone or a clingstone variety and you can tell them apart by the way the flesh separates from the stone. That’s right, you guessed it, one separates easily from the stone and the other does not. Regardless, they all have a delicate aroma and flavor that is truly marvelous.

How to Peel a Peach

Begin with ripe peaches. If not, you must use a peeler, but if they are ripe this method practically makes the skins jump off by themselves!

Here’s a link to watching it done.

1. Prepare a bowl with ice and water
2. Score the skins with an “X” on the bottoms using a paring knife
3. Carefully place the peach into a pot of water with a rolling boil
4. Boil for 20 seconds to 1 minute until the edges of the skins begin to curl
5. Remove the peach with a slotted spoon and immerse in the ice-water to cool
6. After a minute or so, remove and peel by hand or using the paring knife to grab the edges of the skins. They should easily peel completely off.