Heartwings Love Notes          

 

 

Heartwings Love Notes 841 - The Delicious, Mystical Peach

Heartwings says, "Here's some food for thought with Peaches."

The peach has wonderful mythic associations. It is a Chinese symbol of immortality, and it is often prominently displayed in depictions of the sage Lao Tzu. There is also a legend that a famous Chinese heroine Ho Hsien-Ku who lived in 7th century BC was transformed into a fairy by eating a supernatural peach. They said ever after that she lived on a diet of moonbeams and powdered mother-of-pearl.

According to Paul Beyerl in A Compendium of Herbal Magick, in Shinto legend, Iznagi, a primary male deity, visits the Underworld where he defeats demons pursuing him by throwing peaches from the land of Light and the Land of Darkness at them. Beyerl adds that the peach is considered by the Taoists to be a sacred food.

Every Summer I buy my peaches from a nearby farm stand. The owner always has local ones, ripened on the tree in the sun. They taste like heaven to me, and I understand why they might be considered the fruit of immortality. When I feel ambitious, I buy more than I can eat right away, peel and cut them, add a few drops of lemon juice or a sprinkle or two of sugar, and put them in bags in the freezer so we can enjoy them during the winter.

I can remember my mother putting them up in canning jars. She would pour sugar syrup over them, then lower them into a big kettle of boiling water. Stored in the basement pantry closet, how good those peaches tasted during the long winters of my childhood. They were such a treat, especially when they were served for Sunday dinner over vanilla ice cream.

If you want to enjoy the bounty of peaches while they are plentiful without heating up the kitchen, try this very simple peach sorbet. Begin by filling a plastic baggie or pint container with peeled chunked peaches that you have sprinkled with lemon juice or a wee bit of sugar. Freeze them until they are quite solidly frozen. Meanwhile, make up a simple syrup using two cups of sugar to one cup of water, stirring until it is melted, then cooling and storing in the refrigerator. To serve two people, combine 2 cups of frozen peaches with a quarter cup of simple syrup and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Whirl in the food processor until the mixture resembles soft serve ice cream and serve right away.

May you enjoy local peaches in their season.

P.S. Dear Readers, Do you like peaches or have happy memories of them or even recipes to share? If you do, please send them. I
love to hear from readers.
 

I love to hear from readers and would be honored if you would comment and let me know any suggestions or thoughts. If a friend sent you this, you can sign up at my web site, www.heartwingslovenotes.com, where more love notes can be found in the archives.

Blessings and Best Regards,
Tasha Halpert
 

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