Recipe: Spiced Stewed Peaches, Peaches in Syrup, Stewed Peaches - A few recipes for Patty/PA

Spiced Stewed Peaches

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
2 whole star anise* (optional)
6 to 8 firm, ripe peaches, peeled and cut in half, stones removed

* Star anise is available in the spice section of finer supermarkets and in Asian specialty shops. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan over moderate heat and boil for 2 minutes. Add the peach halves and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.

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Peaches in Syrup:
Here's a way to keep peaches a bit beyond the season, drawn from a book entitled Il Re Dei Cuochi, published anonymously in 1885 by Salani. It calls for pesche cotogne, which are an extremely flavorful late-ripening variety that's now hard to find because they're quite ugly. Use the tastiest peaches you can find.

You'll need 2 1/4 pounds (1 k); rub them with a rag to remove the fuzz and puncture them here and there with a skewer. Boil a quart of water to which you have added a pound (500 g) of sugar for five minutes, then add the peaches. Boil them for five minutes, stirring them about constantly, and remove them from the pot to a plate you can cover, reserving the syrup. The next day, transfer the peaches and the syrup to a glass jar and add sufficient cognac or brandy to cover, together with a couple of sticks of cinnamon and a few cloves. Seal the jar, put it in a cool dark place, and let the peaches rest for a month before beginning to enjoy them.

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Stewed Peaches Recipe
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
4 whole cloves
1 1/2 pound peaches, peeled and halved

Combine sugar, water, and cloves in a saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Stir in peaches and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve over ice cream.