When you go to the grocery store and are walking down the aisle that contains the applesauce, you will see an array of flavors. Today the shelves are stocked with cinnamon, wild berry, strawberry, peach, chunky, just to name a few. But how many people actually make their own flavored applesauce?

Since apples are generally mild in flavor, it is easy to add other fruits to it, to add another dimension of flavor. And since it was peach season, I decided to make some peach applesauce. The apples I use were apples that were available during peach season. Of course you could use whatever combination you like. Here is what I used.

1 extra large Glowing Star Peach
2 Jersey Mac apples
2 Ginger Gold apples
3 Paula Red apples

Peach selection: Use whatever peach variety you like. I used Glowing Star. They are large so I only had to peel one peach. They are a mid-season variety, so they are available the same time as early apples. If you buy your peaches at the store you aren’t going to know the exact variety (read about shopping for peaches). I wouldn’t recommend white flesh peaches as they are less acidic and you want some acidity.

Apple selection: Jersey Mac, Ginger Gold, and Paula Red are all early season apples. They each have a nice sweet/tart balance and have a soft texture that allows them to break down well for applesauce. These same apples I wouldn’t recommend for pies. You can use any of these apples in any combination or mix is some other varieties. It’s a matter of learning what you like.

Instructions
1. First off, I think applesauce making is not an exact science. Instead of following a recipe, let your tongue do the testing. If it needs more sugar add it, if it needs some spice, add that to. You can also adjust the apples you use based on whether you want it more tart or more sweet.

2. If you have a food mill, I recommend making your life easier as well as adding flavor and vitamins to your sauce and leave the skins on. You can remove them with the food mill when done. So now all you have to do is slice them up to remove the pits in both the apples and the peaches.

3. For cooking them you can either use a pot on the stovetop or a slow cooker. You can get good results either way, but with a slow cooker your chance of burning the bottom of one of your pans are gone. I add a little bit of liquid to get started. I use 1/4 cup of apple juice. The apples will release plenty of liquid on their own.

4. Cook your sauce until it is the consistency you desire. I let mine cook all afternoon. Then run it through a food mill or you can use a immersion blender if you already removed the skins. If your sauce comes out too runny (mine did) then place it back in the slow cooker, turn up the heat to full blast, and wait until it’s the right consistency. Add sugar to taste (white or brown it’s your choice). Serve warm or refrigerate.

Next up on the peaches to review, are a member of the Stellar family of peaches – the Glowing Star. Any peach with the name “star” in it’s name is a part of the Stellar family. Each member of the family ripens at a different time, so a farmer can plant several members of the family and have peaches last throughout the season. The Glowing Star peach comes near the end of the Stellar family, ripening 27 days after Red Haven.

My Experience with this Peach (Rating Scale 1-10)
Acidity: 7
Peach Flavor: 7
Sweetness: 6
Juiciness: 6

Overall Feeling: This was a pretty good peach. It had a nice peach flavor with a nice balance of acidity and sweetness. It wasn’t the juicy peaches I had this year, but still a decent amount of juice. These peaches do not brown when you cut them and since they are freestone, they make great peaches to use in canning.

Where is the best place to buy a good peach? Click here to read my article on shopping for peaches.

Today we are going to take a look at another member of the “Haven” series of peaches – the Glo Haven. I wasn’t able to find anything on the history and background of the Glo Haven. The only thing I can tell you is that it’s a freestone peach and they ripen about 17 days after it’s “sibling” the Red Haven.

My Experience with this Peach (Rating Scale 1-10)
Acidity: 6
Peach Flavor: 4
Sweetness: 5
Juiciness: 5

Overall Feeling: I wasn’t a big fan of this peach. It is known for it’s milder flavor and that’s not a good thing in my book. It didn’t have a strong enough peach flavor to go along with the acidity. I think there are better peaches out there available at the same time as the Glo Haven. Despite this I would still rather have fresh tree-ripened Glo Haven than almost anything found on a super market shelf.

Where is the best place to buy a good peach? Click here to read my article on shopping for peaches.

This year has been a “peachy” peach season here in Michigan. And as it comes to an end what better way to celebrate than with some peach soda. Peach has always been one of my wife’s favorite flavors of pop, so I was excited when I had the chance to acquire some Nehi Peach to share with her. Nehi has been around since 1924. It comes in a clear 12 oz glass bottle. The ingredients of Nehi Peach are: Carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, malic acid, potassium benzoate (preservative), potassium citrate, artificial flavor, gum acacia, red 40.

I knew I was in for a treat when I first popped the cap and my nose could detect a fresh peach scent, despite the fact the drink is artificially flavored. The flavorful was wonderful and you could not ask for the carbonation to be any better. You will be hard pressed to find carbonation this good in a plastic bottle or can. This peach soda pop is now at the top of my list (my wife’s too) of the best peach carbonated drinks. I look forward to getting my hands on some more Nehi beverages in the future.

Where to Buy
I got mine through the online business of the Old 52 General Store. They have other Nehi flavors available for purchase as well as over 300 other flavors of soda pop. Their physical store is located in Sabin, Minnesota.

If you are wondering if there is still time to pick peaches in Michigan this season, the answer is yes. But the peach season is almost over. The last season varieties are becoming available, so you should be able to find a couple places in Michigan still picking peaches through Labor Day weekend. After that everywhere should be done for the year.

STILL OPEN FOR U-PICK

1. Fruit Acres Farm in Coloma, MI are open for u-pick each weekend through labor day. They will have Glowing Star, White Peaches, and Nectarines currently. They will have Fayette peaches during Labor Day weekend. Cost is $.75 pound up to 35 pounds, and $.65 pound over 35 pounds. For more information you can call them at (269) 468-5076 or visit their website.

2. Erie Orchards in Erie, MI are should still have Cresthaven and Red Skin peaches available for picking. They cost $1.29/pound) for u-pick. For more information you can call them at 734-848-4518 or visit their website.

3. Nyes Apple Barn in St. Joesph, MI may have some last season varieties available. They charge 69 cents per pound. You can either bring your own basket or purchase one of theirs. U-Picks hours are 9am to 5:30pm. Please call ahead to check on picking conditions. Their number is (269) 429-0596 or you can visit their website.

4. Overhiser Orchards in South Haven, MI may have some last season varieties still available. To find out what they are currently picking call 269-236-6312. You can also visit their website.

5. Frank Farms in Berrien Center, MI may still have some late season varieties available for u-pick. For more information, call them at 269-461-4125. You can also visit their website.

6. Schultz Fruitridge Farms in Mattawam, MI may still have some late Flaming Fury and Coral Star. For picking conditions call 269-668-3724. You can also visit their website.

7. Big Dan’s U-Pick ‘Em in Hartford, MI (about 35 miles west of Kalamazoo) has Fayette peaches for picking but they may not last through Labor Day weekend. They could have Autumn Star peaches available for u-pick. They are open daily 10am to 6pm. Their phone number is (269) 621-4037. Click here for their website.

8. Stover’s Farm Market and U‐Pic in Berrien Springs may still have peaches left to pick. The vareties of u-pick peaches available during the season (July-September): Red Haven, Crest Haven, Glo Haven, Baby Gold, Red Skins. To find out what they are picking today, call 269‐471‐1401. Click here for their website.

U-PICK PEACH SEASON IS OVER AT
1. Kapnick Orchards located in Britton, MI is NO LONGER has u-pick this year. I picked there on Saturday, August 7th. Click here to read about my experience. They will have apples shortly. Their phone number is (517) 423-7419 or visit their website.

2. Hazen’s Farm in Howell, MI DID NOT have u-pick peaches this year. I was told by a friend they didn’t have a good crop. If you still wish to contact them you can reach them at (517) 548-1841 or visit their website.

3. Westview Orchards in Washington Township, MI are CLOSED for u-pick peaches for the season. They may still have peaches available for purchase, but these are already picked. They are open daily from 9am – 5pm. For more information you can call them at (866)WVO-4-FUN or visit their website.

4. Tree-Mendus Fruit in Eau Claire, MI are done harvesting peaches this year. They do have apples available for u-pick. For more information call for their Ripe-N-Ready Report by dialing 877-863-3276. Click here for their website.

What are the advantages to picking your own peaches?. Click here to read my article on shopping for peaches.

If you have been reading this site regularly you will know that there are several peach series such as the haven series (including Red Haven) and Flaming Fury (all start with PF). Today we are going to look at a peach from the stellar series, called the Blushing Star. All Stellar peach have the name “star” in them. I reviewed the Coral Star peach earlier this month. Not all stellar peaches are the same. Especially not in this case as the Blushing Star is a white fleshed peach. One good thing about stellar peaches is that they do not brown when cut, so they make a great choice for canning. The Blushing Star ripens 20 days after Red Havens. It is completely freestone.

My Experience with this Peach (Rating Scale 1-10)
Acidity: 6
Peach Flavor: 7
Sweetness: 7
Juiciness: 5

Overall Feeling: This was one of the best white peaches I have had. My wife is not a big fan of white peaches, and she questioned whether this really was a white peach. It is more acidic than most white peaches with a stronger peach flavor. It’s a medium sized peach, perfect size for eating. The peach also smells good, it has a floral scent to it.

Where is the best place to buy a good peach? Click here to read my article on shopping for peaches.

As the peach season continues, the peaches seem to be getting bigger and bigger. I found some of the biggest peaches I have ever had at the Saline Farmer’s Market, recently. The vendor said the variety was called Lawrence, which is a type of Loring peach. Flaming Fury peaches are similar in that there are over 20 types of Flaming Fury, all tasting pretty much the same. The Loring has been around for quite a while. It was first released to fruit growers in 1946. It was created in Missouri. The Loring is a mid-season variety that typically ripens 22 days after Red Havens.

My Experience with this Peach (Rating Scale 1-10)
Acidity: 7
Peach Flavor: 7
Sweetness: 6
Juiciness: 9

Overall Feeling: I really enjoyed this peach. It had a good peach flavor, with a nice balance of sweetness and acidity and it was quite juicy. These peaches are pretty large in size. They are the biggest I have reviewed this year. That size is good for canning since there is less work to do if you have larger peaches.

Where is the best place to buy a good peach? Click here to read my article on shopping for peaches.

Click here for the most up to date news.

We are seeing many mid-season peach varieties available across the state. Red Havens are coming near their end soon, so you better get out there this weekend and pick them. Other later varieties are ripening as we speak. Here are updates from across the state.

1. Kapnick Orchards located in Britton, MI is NOW open for u-pick. I picked there on Saturday, August 7th. Click here to read about my experience. They have Red Haven, Flaming Fury, and Bellaire peaches. Their prices are $28.00 a bushel or $15.00 for a half bushel (must pick at least half a bushel). For more information you can call them at (517) 423-7419 or visit their website.

2. Fruit Acres Farm in Coloma, MI are open for u-pick on Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd. They will have Star 86 yellow freestone peaches, sweet white freestone peaches, sweet nectarines, a few baby gold cling peaches. Cost is $.75 pound up to 35 pounds, and $.65 pound over 35 pounds. For more information you can call them at (269) 468-5076 or visit their website.

3. Erie Orchards in Erie, MI are offering peaches (cost $1.29/pound) for u-pick. They will have these varieites during the season: Red Haven, Newhaven, Glohaven, Canadian Harmony, Jim Dandy,
Cresthaven, and Red Skin. For more information you can call them at 734-848-4518 or visit their website.

4. Hazen’s Farm in Howell, MI will NOT be offering u-pick peaches this year. I was told by a friend they didn’t have a good crop, so they are only selling already picked peaches. If you still wish to contact them you can reach them at (517) 548-1841 or visit their website.

5. Westview Orchards in Washington Township, MI are CLOSED for u-pick peaches for the season. They still have peaches available for purchase, but these are already picked. They are open daily from 9am – 5pm. For more information you can call them at (866)WVO-4-FUN or visit their website.

6. King Orchards in Kewadin, MI (Grand Traverse area) have peaches ready for picking. For more information call them toll free at 877-937-5464 or visit their website.

7. Nyes Apple Barn in St. Joesph, MI is NOW picking peaches. They charge 69 cents per pound. You can either bring your own basket or purchase one of theirs. U-Picks hours are 9am to 5:30pm. Please call ahead to check on picking conditions. Their number is (269) 429-0596 or you can visit their website.

8. Overhiser Orchards in South Haven, MI offers several different varieites for u-pick. To find out what they are currently picking call 269-236-6312. You can also visit their website.

9. Frank Farms in Berrien Center, MI are now open for u-pick peaches. The price is 50 cents per pound. They currently have Canadian Harmony, PF17 & PF22 (Flaming Fury) for u-pick. For more information, call them at 269-461-4125. You can also visit their website.

10. Schultz Fruitridge Farms in Mattawam, MI is running out of Red Haven peaches, but will have late Flaming Fury and Coral Star available soon. For picking conditions call 269-668-3724. You can also visit their website.

11. Big Dan’s U-Pick ‘Em in Hartford, MI (about 35 miles west of Kalamazoo) currently has these varieties available for u-pick: Belaire, Canadian Harmony, Redkist, and Loring. They are open daily 10am to 6pm. Their phone number is (269) 621-4037. Click here for their website.

12. Lemon Creek Winery & Fruit Farm in Berrien Springs, MI has u-pick peaches available for $1.00 per pound. They have all freestone midseason varieties including Red Haven. They have some u-pick nectarines for $1.50 per pound. For more information call them at (269) 471-1321 or visit their website.

13. Stover’s Farm Market and U‐Pic also in Berrien Springs has these varieties of u-pick peaches available during the season (July-September): Red Haven, Crest Haven, Glo Haven, Baby Gold, Red Skins. To find out what they are picking today, call 269‐471‐1401. Click here for their website.

14. Tree-Mendus Fruit in Eau Claire, MI has peaches available to u-pick for 88 cents per pound. They have Coral Star, Jay Havens and Lorings available. For more information call for their Ripe-N-Ready Report by dialing 877-863-3276. Click here for their website.

What are the advantages to picking your own peaches?. Click here to read my article on shopping for peaches.

On a recent trip to Big Lots, I came across several Jones Natural flavors on the store shelves. The first one I will review is the D’Peach Mode. The label on this 14 oz glass bottle says the flavor is natural peach & tangelo. The drink also contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, and some calcium. The ingredient list reads like this: Filtered water, inverted cane sugar, skim milk, cream, pectin, calcium lactate, apple and/or pear juice from concentrate, natural flavors, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), lactic acid, phosphoric acid, purple carrot juice concentrate, purple sweet potato juice extract, grape juice concentrate, beta carotene, , pyridoxine HCL (vitamin B6).

The drink had a nice peach flavor with orange flavored undertones. The dairy in it gives the drink a nice creaminess as well as adding some body to the drink. You have to remember this is not a soda pop or juice, so the mouthfeel of the drink is going to be different than those products. But it’s a nice refreshing difference.

Where to Buy
It was available at Panera Bread, but I don’t think you can find them there any longer. Big Lots is the only place that I know that have them. So if you see them at your local Big Lots, grab them up, as it might be your last chance.

Yesterday, I picked up some Coral Star peaches at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. These large, pretty peaches are a member of the Stellar family of peaches (all of which have the word “star” in their name). These peaches ripen about 12 days after Red Haven, around the same time as Canadian Harmony. Like Canadian Harmony, Coral Star peaches store very well. They also don’t brown when cut, which is attractive for canning and using in pies.

My Experience with this Peach (Rating Scale 1-10)
Acidity: 9
Peach Flavor: 3
Sweetness: 3
Juiciness: 4

Overall Feeling: This peach I was rather disappointed in. It had quite a bit of acidity, but not the sweetness and peach flavor that you want to balance it out. It also wasn’t all that juicy. I would still rather eat a fresh coral star peach than any kind you buy at the mega mart, but I think there are a lot better varieties out there you can get directly from the farmer. The peach would still be good for canning as it is on the larger size and it’s freestone. Both of these factors make the canner’s job easier.

Where is the best place to buy a good peach? Click here to read my article on shopping for peaches.