Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 10, Episode 7 - Behind the Eats - full transcript

PEACHES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
MY FAVORITE FRUIT.

WHEN I WAS A KID, I USED
TO DREAM ABOUT BEING JAMES

IN "JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH."

ONLY IN MY VERSION OF THE STORY,
INSIDE THE PEACH PIT,

WE HAD A COMPLETE GALLEY
AT OUR DISPOSAL.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE,

I HAVE ALL THE RIPE PEACH
I COULD EVER WANT,

AND IT'S JUST PERFECT.
THE TEXTURE IS DEAD-ON,

AND THE SWEETNESS IS SUBLIMELY
BALANCED WITH THE ACIDITY.

I SAY, THE PIE IS LOVELY.
THE ICE CREAM
ISN'T BAD, EITHER.



WELL, I DO FIND THE PEACH MELBA
QUITE DELECTABLE.

IT'S NOWHERE NEAR AS JUICY

AS A NICE...
FAT... GRASSHOPPER.
AAH!

I'M KIDDING. HA! HA! HA!
WHERE AM I?

(Alton) ALTHOUGH
THE TIGHT QUARTERS

MAKE FOR INTERESTING LIVING,
WE'RE HAPPY,

UNTIL, OF COURSE,
THE PEACH BEGINS TO ROT.

I CAN'T COOK WITH THIS.

IT'S ROTTEN AND RUNNY
AND SMELLY.

WHATEVER WILL WE DO?

I SHALL BE FORCED
TO EAT THE GRASSHOPPER.

OH, BOTHER.
YOU DON'T DARE!

FINE. THEN I'LL EAT YOU.
AAH!

OF COURSE, WE'D ALL FORGOTTEN
THAT WE WERE IN THE OCEAN,



SO WHEN THE PEACH WAS GONE,

THERE WAS NOTHING BETWEEN US
AND THE RAVENOUS SHARK.
AAH!

ALAS, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS
WITH PEACHES.

EVERY SUMMER,
FANS SUCH AS MYSELF,

STARVED OF PEACHES THROUGH
THREE-QUARTERS OF THE YEAR,

BUY UP BUSHELS, ONLY TO END UP
BEING EATEN BY SHARKS.

OF COURSE, IF YOU TRULY
UNDERSTAND THIS DELICIOUS TROOP,

YOU CAN ARM YOURSELF WITH
A WIDE ARRAY OF APPLICATIONS

AIMED AT PREVENTING PEACHES
FROM GOING BAD

AND YOU
FROM BECOMING LITERARY...

¶

AHH! YOU KNOW, DESPITE THE FACT

THAT PEACHES DIDN'T REALLY
TAKE ROOT IN THE UNITED STATES

UNTIL THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY

MADE GROWING COTTON A BIT
OF A DIFFICULT PROPOSITION,

NOW THE UNITED STATES GROWS

A QUARTER
OF THE WORLD PEACH CROP.

THAT'S ABOUT THREE BILLION
POUNDS OF THESE GUYS A YEAR,

WHICH IS NOT BAD
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE FACT

THAT THEY'RE NOT EVEN
FROM THIS SIDE OF THE PLANET.

A NATIVE OF CHINA,
PEACHES HAVE BEEN CULTIVATED

SINCE AT LEAST 2000 B.C.,

BUT THOSE EARLY PEACHES
WERE SMALL, HARD

AND VERY PIT-Y,

NOT NEARLY AS LUXURIOUS
AS THE PEACHES OF TODAY.

BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP THE CHINESE
FROM TREASURING THEM,

NOT ONLY AS CUISINE,

BUT AS TAOIST SYMBOLS
OF LONGEVITY.

FROM HERE,
THE PEACH TRAVELED TO...

PERSIA,

WHERE ALEXANDER THE GREAT
AND OTHER WESTERNERS

FIRST ENCOUNTERED THE FRUIT,

WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY
THE PEACH'S SCIENTIFIC NAME

IS PERSICUM MALUM--
"PERSIAN APPLE."

FROM PERSIA, IT WAS JUST
A QUICK LITTLE JAUNT TO GREECE

AND THEN TO...

ROME, WHERE THE PEACH
WAS CONSIDERED A HIGH DELICACY

AND OFTEN WENT FOR $4
OR EVEN $5 APIECE,

AND THAT'S
IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, OKAY?

A LOT OF DENARI.

NOW BESIDES EATING THEM,

THE ROMANS DID A LOT
FOR THE PEACH.

THEY SPREAD IT ALL OVER EUROPE

SO THAT LATER,
IN THE 16th CENTURY...

ENGLISH, FRENCH
AND SPANISH EXPLORERS,

LIKE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS,

COULD SAIL IT WESTWARD

TOWARDS THE DARK, RICH,
FERTILE EARTH OF...

THE AMERICAN SOUTH.

BY THE TIME
THE CIVIL WAR BROKE OUT,

STATES LIKE GEORGIA
AND SOUTH CAROLINA

WERE ALREADY WELL-ESTABLISHEDHC
GROWERS.

NOW IT'S A CURIOUS
LITTLE PIECE OF TRIVIA.

DURING THE CIVIL WAR,

MANY PEACH ORCHARDS,
SUCH AS THIS ONE,

SERVED AS BACKDROPS
FOR SOME VERY BLOODY BATTLES,

SUCH AS SHILOH AND GETTYSBURG.

(loud explosion)

GRACIOUS.

(sighs) OH, BOTHER.

IF YOU ONLY SHOP
AT YE OLD MEGA-MART,

YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT HIP
TO THE FACT

THAT THERE ARE
OVER 2,000 VARIETIES OF PEACHES.

NOW THIS FARM STAND
MAY NOT HAVE ALL 2,000,

BUT THEY DO HAVE A DOZEN OR SO,

CERTAINLY ENOUGH
TO PROPERLY REPRESENT

THE PEACHY SPECTRUM.

NOW I'M
A CLASSIFICATION GUY, OKAY?

CLASSIFICATION MAKES THE WORLD
AN EASIER PLACE TO LIVE,

BUT IT'S HARD
TO CLASSIFY A FRUIT

THAT IS AS DIVERSE AS--
AS PEACHES.

LUCKILY, PLANET PEACH
CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO.

THERE ARE CLINGSTONE PEACHES,

WHOSE FLESH CLINGS
TO THE PIT, OR STONE,

LIKE BAD HAIR AND MONEY
TO DONALD TRUMP.

TASTY, THOUGH THEY MAY BE,

MOST CLINGSTONES END UP
BEING FROZEN, CANNED,

PURéED OR OTHERWISE MANGLED
FOR COMMERCIAL USES.

OUT-OF-HAND PEACHES ARE
TYPICALLY FREESTONE PEACHES,

MEANING THAT THE FLESH
GLADLY GIVES UP

THE PIT, OR STONE, INSIDE.

PEACHES CAN ALSO
BE CLASSIFIED BY COLOR.

FOR INSTANCE, MUIR, LOVELL

AND THE ORIGINAL
GEORGIA PEACH, ELBERTAS,

ALL HAVE YELLOW FLESH--A TRAIT
DEVELOPED IN THE UNITED STATES

IN THE 19th CENTURY.

THE COLOR COMES
FROM AN ABUNDANCE

OF CAROTENOID PIGMENTS,
INCLUDING BETA-CAROTENE,

WHICH WE ALL LIKE.

MMM. THERE ARE
ALSO WHITE PEACHES.

MMM.

WHITE PEACHES
HAVE A LOWER ACID CONTENT,

WHICH MAY MAKE THEM TASTE
A LITTLE LESS PEACHY,

BUT ALSO MAKES THEM
INSANELY SWEET.

SOME COMMON VARIETIES INCLUDE...

NOW MOST PEACHES
ARE AT THEIR PEAK

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN JUNE
AND SEPTEMBER,

BUT ONCE PLUCKED FROM THE TREE,
THE SUGAR CONTENT IS LOCKED IN,

AND THE CLOCK BEGINS
TO TICK.

EVEN WITH
MODERN SHIPPING TECHNIQUES,

FRESH PEACHES
WILL NOT LAST MORE THAN,

OH... TEN DAYS
TO TWO WEEKS POSTHARVEST,

WHICH EXPLAINS WHY IT'S BEST
TO PICK YOUR PEACHES

AS CLOSE TO THE TREE
AS POSSIBLE.

NOW THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT
YOU CAN'T GET DECENT PEACHES

IN, YOU KNOW, UTAH,

BUT ODDS ARE,
THOSE PEACHES ARE GONNA LOOK

BETTER THAN THEY TASTE,

AND THAT'S A SHAME.

BEHOLD, THE PHYSICAL INCARNATION

OF A PERFECT SUMME

Y.
BEHOLD, THE PHYSICAL INCARNATION

NOTICE, THE SHOULDERS
ARE ROUND AND FULL--

EVIDENCE OF SUFFICIENT TIME
ON THE TREE.

THE BACKGROUND COLOR
IS YELLOW-ORANGE, NO GREEN.

THIS SPECIMEN DISPLAYS
CONSIDERABLE BLUSH,

WHICH HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH RIPENESS.

IT'S JUST PROOF THAT THE FRUIT
HAS SPENT A GOOD BIT OF TIME

IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT,

EXCEPT, OF COURSE, HERE,

WHERE IT WAS SHADED
BY THE STEM ITSELF.

NOW THE SUTURE IS PRONOUNCED,

AND THE CHEEKS ARE PLUMP
AND BARELY YIELDING.

(southern accent)
WHY, I TELL YOU,

IT'S ALMOST TOO MUCH FOR
A GOOD SOUTHERN BOY TO BEAR.

(normal voice) NOW IF
THIS SPECIMEN WASN'T PERFECT,

I WOULD PARK IT AND ITS SISTERS
IN A PAPER BAG

AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
FOR A FEW DAYS TO SOFTEN.

NOTICE, I DID NOT SAY "RIPEN."

THAT IS BECAUSE "RIPEN"

SUGGESTS AN INCREASE
IN SUGAR DEVELOPMENT,

AND THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE ONCE
THIS DEVICE LEAVES THE TREE.

TIME, HOWEVER, CAN CONCENTRATE
FLAVOR COMPONENTS

AND ALLOW THE FLESH TO SOFTEN
AND BECOME MORE JUICY.

NOW THE ONLY WAY
TO KEEP THIS PEACH

FROM MARCHING
RIGHT PAST RIPENESS

TO, WELL, YOU KNOW, SHARKS,
IS TO STOP THE CLOCK,

OR, AT LEAST, SLOW IT DOWN.

¶

¶ ¶

(voice slowing) COLD WILL SLOW
DOWN THE ENZYMATIC ACTION

THAT DISSOLVES PECTINS
IN THE FRUIT.

(normal voice) AND THAT'LL KEEP
THESE FROM GETTING TOO SOFT.

LOW TEMPERATURES
ALSO SLOW THE SPREAD

OF AROMATIC COMPOUNDS
IN THE MOUTH,

SO ALWAYS BRING PEACHES
TO ROOM TEMPERATURE

BEFORE DEVOURING.

HEY,
WAIT A MINUTE, BUSTER.

OH, IT'S YOU.

IS THAT ANY WAY TO SPEAK
TO THE COUNTESS OF COLD?

I--I GUESS NOT,
EFSS RMIRIGERATOR LADY, MA'AM.

HOW DARE YOU PUT PEACHES
IN HERE

WITHOUT EVEN MENTIONING
THEIR ABILITY

TO DEFY THE RAVAGES OF TIME?

DO, TELL,
OH, PRIESTESS OF PRESERVATION.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD
OF PHOTOAGING?
OH, YEAH!

THAT'S WHAT MAKES OLD SNAPSHOTS
STICK TOGETHER

IN THE OLD
FAMILY PICTURE DRAWER.
OH, YOU'RE SO CLEVER!

OH, HEY!
PHOTOAGING IS WHAT
THE SUN'S RAYS DO TO THE SKIN,

AND THIS NASTY PROCESS
IS ACCELERATED

BY HORRIBLE THINGS
CALLED FREE RADICALS

IN THE SKIN'S CELLS.

NOW PEACHES AND NECTARINES
CONTAIN BEAUTIFUL COMPOUNDS

CALLED ANTIOXIDANTS--
MORE SPECIFICALLY, PHENOLS--

THAT HELP TO BLOCK
THIS PROCESS.

THAT'S WHY I EAT
AT LEAST THREE PEACHES A DAY

TO MAINTAIN MY YOUTHFUL
AND MILKY COMPLEXION.

REALLY? WOW.

AND HERE ALL ALONG, I THOUGHT
YOU WERE JUST STEALING MY MILK.

HA HA HA!
THERE YOU GO,
BEING CLEVER AGAIN.

HEY... (groans)

THAT'S MY LUNCH, LADY.
YOU'RE--

(sighs)

WHERE DOES SHE GO ANYWAY?

I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THE COMBINING
OF CAKE AND FRUIT

TO BE POWERFUL MAGIC,

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ELEMENTS
IN QUESTION

ARE KEPT SUBTLY SEGREGATED.

A GOOD EXAMPLE
OF THIS APPROACH--

SINGLE-SERVING
PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE,

WHICH JUST MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE
DESSERT OF ALL TIME.

I KNOW IT'S
MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST.

LET'S BAKE, SHALL WE?

FIRST, HOT BOX TO 350 DEGREES.

NOW DIVIDE 2 TABLESPOONS
OF UNSALTED BUTTER EVENLY

BETWEEN 4 6-OUNCE RAMEKINS.

YES, THAT'S 1/2 A TABLESPOON
PER RAMEKIN.

NEXT, EVENLY DIVIDE 1/4 CUP
OF LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

AMONG THE VESSELS,

AND, BY THE WAY, THAT WOULD BE
1 TABLESPOON PER VESSEL.

NOW AS TO THE FRUIT,

YOU WILL NEED
TWO MEDIUM PEACHES,

EACH PEELED AND CUT
INTO 12 TO 14 SLICES,

ALTHOUGH A VEGETABLE PEELER
WOULD WORK ON FIRM FRUIT.

IF YOU HAVE VERY RIPE PEACHES
OR A LOT OF ANY KIND OF PEACHES,

YOU WILL WANT TO EMPLOY
THE BLANCH.

WHOEVER YOU ARE,

I HAVE ALWAYS DEPENDED
UPON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS.

ACTUALLY, I MEANT TO BRING
A POT OF WATER TO A BOIL.

CAREFULLY PLACE THE PEACHES
INSIDE FOR 30 SECONDS.

THEN EVACUATE
TO AN ICE-WATER BATH

FOR ANOTHER 30 SECONDS

AND JUST WIPING THE SKIN OFF
WITH A PAPER TOWEL.

MY, YOU HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE
JUDICIAL AIR.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS FOR
THE LITERATURE LESSON, LADY.
(record needle scratches)

WE'RE MAKING
A COOKING SHOW HERE, OKAY?

SORRY.

NOW DEPOSIT THE PEACH PIECES
ON TOP OF THE SUGAR,

AND THEN SPRINKLE EACH

WITH FINELY CHOPPED
CRYSTALLIZED GINGER.

YOU'RE GONNA NEED
ABOUT AN OUNCE OF THAT TOTAL,

AND THAT WOULD BE
3 TABLESPOONS, PLEASE.

NOW WE BEGIN THE BATTER,

AND THE BATTER BEGINS
WITH THE DRY TEAM,

AND THE DRY TEAM
BEGINS WITH FLOUR.

2.5 OUNCES ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
BY WEIGHT...

(imitating French accent)
GOES INTO ZE BOWL.

(normal voice) THEN, OF COURSE,
WE HAVE THE LEAVENING,

BEGINNING WITH BAKING POWDER--

A TEASPOON WILL DO NICELY--

BAKING SODA--1/8 OF A TEASPOON
WILL DO VERY WELL--

AND KOSHER SALT,
ALSO 1/8 OF A TEASPOON.

WHISK TO COMBINE.

IN A SEPARATE BOWL,
WE MELD THE WET TEAM,

BEGINNING WITH 1/2 CUP
OF BUTTERMILK--

AT ROOM TEMPERATURE,
IF YOU PLEASE--

1/3 CUP OF SUGAR,

1 TABLESPOON OF MELTED
NON-SALTED BUTTER

AND 1/2 TEASPOON--
JUST A WEE SHOT--

OF VANILLA EXTRACT.

NOW WHILE I'M WHISKING
THIS TOGETHER, PONDER THIS.

WHAT MIXING METHOD
ARE WE EMPLOYING HERE?

JUST TAKE A MOMENT.
THINK ABOUT IT.

(bell dings)

VERY GOOD.

IT IS THE MUFFIN METHOD.

FIRST, WE MIX ALL
THE DRY TEAM TOGETHER.

WE MIX ALL THE WET TEAM
TOGETHER--SEPARATE BOWLS--

AND THEN WE MARRY THEM
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

SO LIQUID GOES ON TOP OF DRY,

AND I THINK
IT'S GONNA TAKE ABOUT,

AH, 10.2 STIRS.

YES, IT'S LUMPY,
BUT I DON'T CARE.

WALK AWAY.
JUST--JUST WALK AWAY.

NO MORE STIRRING,
OR IT'LL GET ALL TOUGH,

AND YOU WON'T LIKE IT THEN.

SO DEPOSIT THE BATTER EVENLY

ON TOP OF THE FRUIT THUSLY.

REMEMBER, NO STIRRING
IS NECESSARY.

THE BATTER WILL PERCOLATE
GENTLY DOWN INTO THE FRUIT.

NOW YOU COULD BAKE THESE
DIRECTLY ON YOUR OVEN RACKS,

BUT IT COULD GET A LITTLE MESSY,

SO I SUGGEST A HALF SHEET PAN.

SLIDE YOUR NEWLY BORN CAKES

RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE
OF THE OVEN.

NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FINAL
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE HERE

OF 190 DEGREES.

THAT'S GONNA TAKE
20 TO 25 MINUTES,

GIVE OR TAKE A SECOND OR TWO.

OF COURSE, IT'LL HELP
IF I CLOSE THE DOOR.

¶

 ¶

¶

AHH, LOOK PERFECT.
WE'VE GOT NICE BROWNING.

LET'S CHECK THE TEMPERATURE.

(groans) 188.

IT'LL COAST THE REST OF THE WAY.

NOW THE GOAL IS TO GET THESE OUT

AND LET THEM COOL
FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

THEN TURN THEM OUT

BY SIMPLY TAKING A PARING KNIFE,

RUNNING AROUND THE OUTSIDE
JUST TO MAKE SURE

THAT THE SYRUP RELEASES NICELY.

THERE WE GO.
THEN GRAB YOURSELF A PLATE...

AND OUT IT'LL COME.

NOW THIS IS DELICIOUS
JUST AS IT IS,

BUT IF YOU HIT IT
WITH A LITTLE WHIPPED CREAM

OR PERHAPS SOME ICE CREAM,
IT GETS EVEN BETTER.

AND DID I MENTION THE FACT

THAT THEY'RE JUST AS GOOD
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

AS THEY ARE HOT?
AND OH, I TOLD YOU

ABOUT THE WHOLE BREAKFAST THING,
RIGHT? GOOD.

(singing opera)

(snoring)

OH, BOY, THE OPERA.

YOU KNOW, NOTHING SAYS "CLASS"

QUITE LIKE A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED
LUNG STRETCHER.

YOU KNOW, AT THE TURN
OF THE 20th CENTURY,

THE MOST FAMOUS SOPRANO HAILED
NOT FROM NEW JERSEY,

BUT AUSTRALIA.

BEHOLD, DAME NELLIE MELBA,
DIVA, THE FIRST ORDER.

SHE WAS FAMOUS
FOR THREE THINGS--

HER ANGELIC VOICE,

HER ATTENTION-GRABBING PERSONA

AND HER OBSESSIVE ADORATION
OF PEACHES.

NOW TO HONOR ONE OF NELLIE'S
1893 PERFORMANCES IN PARIS,

CHEF GEORGES-AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER

OF THE SAVOY HOTEL, NO LESS,

DESIGNED THIS DESSERT
THAT COMBINED ICE CREAM,

RASPBERRY SAUCE
AND POACHED PEACHES

THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY
BECOME KNOWN AS PEACH MELBA.

YOO-HOO!

GOOD DAY.
(gasps)

OH!
DID I HEAR SOMEONE
MENTION PEACHES?

OH, I JUST LOVE PEACHES!
THEY'RE SO SWEET. MMM.

OKAY.
MMM. SO SUCCULENT. MMM.

SO SENSUAL,
DON'T YOU THINK?

WELL, I--I DO THINK
THEY'RE CUTE. YEAH, UM...

LIKE YOU.

AND, OF COURSE,
IN A LOT OF COUNTRIES,

PEACHES HAVE SERVED
AS METAPHORS

FOR THINGS... EROTIC.

OHH! DO TELL!

OKAY. EASY THERE, BIG GIRL.

JAPAN, CHINA--

PEACH BLOSSOMS
ARE SYMBOLS OF VIRGINITY.

AND...
(laughing)

AND--AND--AND THEY--
OF COURSE, ALSO IN JAPAN,

PEACHES ARE CONSIDERED
VERY USEFUL

IN THE EXERCISING OF DEMONS.
EXERCISING DEMONS?

OH, NOW THAT'S
THE ONLY EXERCISE I GET.

YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT.
BUT I DO LOVE
TO EAT A PEACH.

MM.
WOULD YOU CARE TO JOIN ME
AFTER THE SHOW FOR A BUSHEL?

A BUSHEL? SURE.
GEE, I'LL JUST HAVE A LITTLE.

OOPS! OH, I'M SORRY.
OH, MY PEACH!

AAH!

(thud, loud crash)

I THINK THAT'S
GONNA LEAVE A MARK.

TRADITIONALLY, THE PEACHES
IN PEACH MELBA

WOULD ALWAYS BE POACHED
IN A SYRUP SUCH AS THIS ONE,

COMPOSED OF...

AND THE GUTS
OF ONE VANILLA BEAN.

THIS IS ALL FINE AND GOOD,

BUT I DO BELIEVE
THAT WE CAN UP THE FLAVOR ANTE

BY GRILLING OUR PEACHES FIRST.

HERE WE HAVE FOUR LARGE PEACHES,

WHICH HAVE BEEN PEELED,
SPLIT AND PITTED,

AND WE'RE ROASTING THOSE
FOR ABOUT FOUR MINUTES A SIDE

OVER HIGH HEAT--
ABOUT 500 DEGREES IN HERE.

WE'RE GONNA DO THAT
WITH THE SHIELDS DOWN.

NOW WHILE ALL THIS WORKS,
WE CAN COMPOSE A SAUCE.

AND, OF COURSE, SINCE WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT PEACH MELBA,

WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT A RASPBERRY SAUCE,

SO BREAK OUT YOUR FOOD
PROCESSOR AND DUMP IN...

I FIND THAT FROZEN
PURéE A LITTLE BETTER...

BOLT ON THE LID,
AND TAKE HER FOR A SPIN.

IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS,

YOU'LL HAVE YOURSELF
A NICE CREAMY PURéE,

BUT IT IS STILL FULL OF SEEDS,
AND THE SEEDS HAVE GOT TO GO,

SO POUR THAT THROUGH A SIEVE,

AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
TO PUSH THE SAUCE THROUGH

WITH A SPOON OR A SPATULA.

IF YOU SKIP THIS STEP,
YOU'LL HAVE SEEDS IN THE SAUCE,

AND YOU'LL HAVE TO GET OUT
THE FLOSS AND THE TOOTHPICKS,

AND IT'LL BE UGLY.

THIS, ON THE OTHER HAND,
LOOKS GREAT.

WHEN YOUR SYRUP HAS BEEN
AT A GOOD HARD BOIL

FOR ABOUT ONE TO TWO MINUTES,

TURN OFF THE HEAT AND EVACUATE
YOUR NEWLY COOKED PEACHES

TO A RECTANGULAR BAKING DISH.

THEY'RE NICE AND SOFT,

BUT THEY STILL HAVE A GOOD BIT
OF THEIR STRUCTURE INTACT.

AND ONCE YOU'VE GOT THOSE DOWN,

POUR THE SYRUP RIGHT
ON TOP OF THEM.

I WANT THIS TO SOAK FOR, EH,
PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

SO JUST COVER IT WITH FOIL
TO KEEP IT WARM,

AND LET THEM DO
WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.

TO SERVE, SIMPLY LAY OUT
A FEW OF YOUR PEACHES,

DOLE ON A BIT OF ICE CREAM,
PERHAPS,

MAYBE A SPRIG OF MINT
WOULD BE NICE,

AND, OF COURSE, LOTS AND LOTS
OF THE RASPBERRY SAUCE.

AHH.

NEXT STEP IS MY FAVORITE STEP.

GOOD DAY,
MY LITTLE WALLABY.

OH, OH, THIS LOOKS SO GOOD,
I THINK I COULD SING.

(opera music playing)

(opera sic playing)

WHEN THE DAYS GROW SHORT

AND THE WINDS OF THOR
ARE BLOWING COLD,

A NICE JAR
OF HOME-PRESERVED PEACHES

SURE CAN CRACK OLD JACK FROST'S
STEELY GRASP.

PROBLEM IS, EVEN IF
YOU'VE GOT TIME FOR CANNING,

THE COOKING REQUIRED
FOR THE PROCESS

SAPS PEACHES
OF THEIR FRESH FLAVOR

AND FLATTENS THEIR MEATY TEXTURE
TO A PULP.

BUMMER.

IRONICALLY, ALL THIS SUMMER
GOODNESS CAN EASILY BE PRESERVED

BY THE PROPER APPLICATION

OF THE VERY ELEMENT
WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE.

THAT'S RIGHT, COLD.

BUT PROPER PREP
IS A PREREQUISITE FOR SUCCESS.

LET'S SAY THAT YOU HAD A POUND
AND A HALF OF RIPE PEACHES

PEELED AND CUT INTO CHUNKS.

NOW FREEZING THESE AS IS
WOULD BE A BAD IDEA.

WHY?

COME HERE.

I REALIZE THAT
IF YOU'RE A FAN OF THIS PROGRAM,

YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THIS DEMO
AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES,

BUT, HEY,
SOME THINGS BEAR REPEATING.

LET US IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT

THAT THIS IS A PULP CELL
INSIDE YOUR PEACH,

AND LET US IMAGINE ALSO
THAT THIS IS AN ICE CRYSTAL.

WHEN THE TWO COME TOGETHER,
IT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

(dramatic music playing)

ARE WE CLEAR?
GOOD.

NOW WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO
ABOUT IT?

THE SUBSTANCE THAT WE CALL SUGAR
IS ACTUALLY SUCROSE,

A DISACCHARIDE OR DOUBLE SUGAR.

NOW SUCROSE IS WORLD FAMOUS
FOR BEING HYGROSCOPIC,

MEANING THAT IT LOVES
TO GRAB HOLD OF WATER

AND HOLD IT
AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL.

BY ADDING SOME SUCROSE
TO OUR PEACHES,

SOME OF THE MOISTURE WILL BE
PULLED OUT OF THE PEACHES

AND WILL CREATE A SYRUP
WITH THE SUCROSE.

NOW WHAT'S GROOVY ABOUT THAT
IS THAT WHEN THE SYRUP FREEZES,

THE SUCROSE WILL HOLD ON
TO SOME OF THE WATER,

AND THAT WILL PREVENT THE ICE
CRYSTALS FROM GETTING SO BIG

THAT THEY POKE HOLES
IN ALL THE CELLS

AND MAKE US LOSE ALL OUR
MOISTURE WHEN THE PEACHES THAW.

GOT IT? GOOD.

FOR A POUND AND A HALF
OF PEACHES, I WOULD THINK...

WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.

WAIT A SECOND.

NEITHER SUCROSE
NOR FREEZING COLD

WILL PREVENT THESE PEACHES
FROM TURNING BROWN WITH TIME.

FOR THAT, WE'LL NEED AN ACID.

WELL, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
STOPPING AN OXIDATIVE PROCESS,

WHY NOT USE AN ANTIOXIDANT?

THAT'S RIGHT.

MOST OF US HAVE
A LITTLE ASCORBIC ACID,

GOOD OLD VITAMIN C,

AND I'D SAY THAT ABOUT 500
MILLIGRAMS SHOULD DO THE TRICK.

THAT'S HALF OF ONE
OF THESE GUYS.

NOW JUST CRUSH THAT
BETWEEN A COUPLE OF SPOONS.

DISSOLVE
IN 3 TABLESPOONS OF WATER

AND MIX INTO THE PEACHES
BEFORE YOU ADD THE SUGAR.

YOU'LL NEVER SEE BROWN AGAIN.

THERE.

LET THESE SIT FOR 15 MINUTES SO
THAT A GOOD, THICK SYRUP FORMS.

THEN YOU MAY TRANSFER THEM

TO THE CONTAINMENT VESSEL
OF YOUR CHOICE.

MINE--ZIP-TOP FREEZER BAGS.

I LIKE TO FREEZE MY PEACHES
ON A FLAT SURFACE

BEFORE FILING THEM AWAY
FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE.

IT MAKES THEM A LITTLE BIT
EASIER TO DEAL WITH.

NOW THESE ARE GOOD
FOR 1,001 DIFFERENT PURPOSES,

BUT IF YOU WANT TO COOK
WITH THEM,

YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT
ON HOLDING BACK

ABOUT A 1/3 OF THE TOTAL SUGAR
IN ANY GIVEN RECIPE,

OR YOU CAN COUNT THEM
AS YOU WOULD

AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF PEACHES
CANNED IN A HEAVY SYRUP.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH

TO KEEP THE SHARKS
OF MY CHILDHOOD AT BAY

FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SEE YA NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS."

Captioning provided by
Scripps Networks, Inc.

Captioned by
Closed Captioning Services, Inc.

BUT I JUST LOVE
TO EAT A PEACH.

WOULD YOU CARE TO JOIN ME
IN A BUSHEL AFTER THE SHOW?

IN A BUSHEL
OR FOR A BUSHEL?

IT DOESN'T MATTER.
OFF YOU GO.

AAH!