Question on a Recipe--Need Help!

[mdzehnder]

I'm going to be working on this recipe tonight, and I have a question about it.

http://littlesliceoflife.wordpress.co...

If you read the recipe, it seems that they're just blanching the peaches in the spiced syrup, pouring some brandy over them, jarring them and "sealing." I'm not sure what they mean by "sealing" however, that's the problem. Does that mean canning? From the picture and description it doesn't appear that it does, but if not that are they just putting a lid on it? I'm having hard time convincing myself that that much fresh fruit and sugar would be ok without being refrigerated or canned, even with the alcohol.

Any thoughts?

[boyzoma]

There is a thread I started on this a while back. Some of it might be of help. In addition, if you store in a refrigerator, you can keep it up to 3 months without using a water bath.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/704977?tag=search_results;results_list

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/br...

[mamachef]

It sounds to me like the intent is to truly can those peaches. A thought though: there's a recipe for "tutti frutti" topping - which I have never made, by the way - which calls for a stone crock, and various fruits being added at various stages with amazing amounts of sugar and booze. No refrigeration. Evidently, it IS enough of a preservative; I've heard more than one person mention it. Okay, I just re-read the recipe, and I'm just as confused as you are. Was it categorized in any special way?

[mdzehnder]

I'm not really sure...I just did a google search for brandy and peaches and came up with that. My inclination is to say it would be actually canned, but if you look at the picture, those aren't even canning jars she's using. I don't think you could can those jars if you wanted to.....its just a rubber gasket and one of those snap-down style clasps.

[mamachef]

That's what led to my confusion. I'm kinda supposing at this point that she just meant to "seal" it with a gasketed lid, as you say. Also the quantity she's going with doesn't really lend itself to long term canning, does it?

[mdzehnder]

Yeah I think you're right. I've been doing some googling and research, starting with the NYT article mentioned below, and the best conclusion I can come to is basically--the traditional, old-fashioned way is just peaches, sugar and brandy. The modern, USDA approved, we're paranoid about germs method is to water-bath can it. So I guess I just have to decide if I feel traditional or modern.