Do not let the fancy name intimidate you. Hellz yeah you can make a balsamic reduction! And….your taste buds will love you for it!
The grill emphasizes the natural sweetness of the peaches.
The peppery finish takes your taste buds to a WHOLE new level.
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Spices
While the recipe calls for cinnamon, you can explore other flavors with this recipe including nutmeg, allspice and pumpkin spice blend. You can also get CrAzY and try different combos of these spices, if you dare.
Keep in mind that nutmeg and allspice carry strong flavor. So, a little bit goes a long way. Start with small dash. You can always add more if it is not enough flavor. Reducing the amount you add is really not an option. A lesson I have learned several times in the kitchen.
Pecans
I recommend buying pecan halves rather than crushed pecans. They allow more diverse use in the kitchen as they can be easily crumbled by hand to create “chopped” pecans. Extras can be stored in the fridge or freezer.
If you are batching this recipe (creating more than the 2 servings yielded by the recipe), place the pecans in plastic baggie and “chop” them by crushing them with kitchen hammer/mallet or other flat surface (bottom of plastic cup). This can also serve as a great way to work out some extra stress.
How to Pick Peaches
First and foremost, I recommend going to peach orchard or farmers market if available to you. I have found this provides the best quality peach. And, you can chat with the growers and learn their recommendations on how to store and when the peach will ripen.
Here are some tips on how to know when your peach is ripe and ready to be enjoyed
- The aroma is a strong tell. Peaches with the sweet aroma you desire when biting into it are ripe. If the peach lacks aroma, it is not YET ripe.
- Slightly soft means ripe and ready to go! Some “give” when GENTLY squeezed is a sign that the peach is perfectly ripe. If the peach is firm to the touch, it is not quite ready YET. Peaches are delicate products of nature. Be gentle with them as they bruise easily.
- Dark yellow, deep gold and perhaps redish in color rather than green. Any hint of green indicates the peach needed more time on the tree. You can still eat it after it ripens, however, it will not be as sweet and juicy as a peach that was ripened longer on the tree.
- Round shape rather than pointy or oval-shaped peaches are more ripe.
How to ripen peaches at home
- Lay peach stem side down on kitchen counter at room temperature away from heat and cold. It will take anywhere between 2-7 days for the peach to fully ripen.
- If you wish to quicken the ripening process, place the peaches in paper bag.
- If you wish to stall the ripening process, place them in the fridge.
