Monday, August 27, 2018
The Peach Magnet
There seems to be something about me that attracts old men bearing peaches.
At Blackrock, it was our very elderly neighbor who dropped off baskets of peaches that I managed, despite a ten-month-old baby and two other children, to make into canned peaches and a LOT of peach puree for yogurt.
And now I have another ten-month-old baby and three other children, and there are more elderly men dropping off peaches.
The first to come by was Rafael, our most excellent produce supplier. He pulled up on Sunday in his white pick-up truck with a bucket of small yellow peaches from one of his trees. He told us he had picked 15 gallons, so we should take the whole bucket.
I had no problem with that.
Then this morning, another white pick-up truck* pulled up in front of the house, this time with Nick. Nick is also an older man who goes to our church. He lives a few blocks away in the village. He brought us a bag of slightly larger white peaches.
It appears we already have a reputation as people who will take excess produce. I'm fine with that reputation, especially if it results in ten pounds of free, delicious peaches.
* Never have I seen so many white pick-up trucks. It's become something of a running joke with me and A., all the white pick-up trucks driving slowly around. He tells me it's because the white ones are the cheapest heavy-duty trucks. I just think it looks like an episode of The Twilight Zone.
Nah, they get a bulk deal on them for the Witness Protection Program.
ReplyDeleteAs the owner of a base model white pickup, I can attest to their low price. We got ours for about 15k less than those with fancy equipment...like carpet and power windows but it tows great and we'll probably never sell it and have to face it's poor value.
ReplyDeleteWhite Pickups- you live in the SW, white reflects sunlight and gives the appearance of being cooler in temp.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am in total envy of your peach-gifting elderly gentlemen neighbors. I want one! (I used to have a sweet corn, tomato & cucumber gift-giving much beloved neighbor. He has since passed on. :( )
And added bonus, you don't have to go pick the peaches yourself!
You apparently moved into a pretty awesome community. Keep'em comming. Will be happy to babysit while you do your peach magic.
ReplyDeleteYou’ll have to keep a few loaves of bread in the freezer to occasionally hand out as “thank you’s”!
ReplyDeleteI find myself desiring a flavor analysis of the white vs the yellow peaches--
ReplyDeleteMiL: Well, keeping in mind that I'm pretty sure these aren't standard varieties. More likely local hybrids that evolved over time. They're both thin-skinned, freestone, with very little fuzz. The yellow ones almost looked like apricots. They were more acidic and less sweet, though certainly not sour at all. The white peaches were extraordinarily fragrant and sweet. I started making jam with them and then decided they really needed more acid so the jam wouldn't be cloyingly sweet, so I added some of the yellow peaches. It was a good combination.
ReplyDeleteThis is adorable! I am such a cynic I think - have they heard she makes great bacon and want you to bring some to them?
ReplyDelete