August is one of my favourite months of the year, not only because it’s my birthday month and generally the hottest month of the summer, but also because peach season!
I’m a big fan of fresh fruit in general (I mean, who isn’t?) but peaches are very high on my list of favourite things to eat. Peach jam, peach cocktails, peaches and cream ice cream: you name it, I love it. This year I didn’t have time to do a lot of canning like I usually do, but I wanted to find a way to preserve that Niagara peach taste for a little while longer, so I started experimenting with making peach simple syrup.
I love making sodas with fresh fruit and interesting flavours, and in the past I’ve made everything from pineapple syrup to lemon mint, so peach seemed like an easy next step. I’m a big fan of all things floral, so I decided to add a bit of rose water to one jar to give my creation a flowery twist. The result was a tasty, summery concoction perfect for cocktails, sodas, pancakes, ice cream, and whatever else you desire.
Ingredients:
6 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
a few drops of rose water
Method:
1. Bring chopped peaches, sugar and water to a boil in a medium pot. Once boiled, drop temperature to a simmer until the sugar has totally dissolved.
2. Pour the hot mixture into jars, leaving some chunks to steep in the syrup. Close the lids and wait 30 minutes.
3. Once the syrup has cooled slightly add a few drops of rose syrup to taste.
Store in the fridge for up to three weeks!
