Important: Safety Warning
This page directs the use of hazardous substances — such as benzine, gasoline, lye, or strong acids — for household tasks. These materials are highly flammable, corrosive, or poisonous, and the practices described have caused fires, burns, and poisonings.
In addition, this page instructs boiling fruit in caustic lye and adding blanched peach kernels. Lye causes severe chemical burns and is dangerous to ingest, and peach kernels contain amygdalin, which releases hydrogen cyanide.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Home › Cookery › Brandy Peaches
Brandy Peaches
For twelve pounds large freestone Heath peaches, not quite ripe and delicately pared, make a syrup of four pounds sugar. Scald a few peaches at a time in the syrup, till all have gone through this process. Place on dishes to cool. Then put in glass jars and add enough good whiskey or brandy to the syrup to cover the peaches. Any spirit will do, if strong enough. Add a few blanched peach-kernels. In a few days see if more liquor or sugar is required. If so, drain off the syrup, add what is needed, and pour again over the fruit. It is a mistake to put too much sugar. Always use freestone peaches.--Mrs. S. T. Brandy Peaches.
Put the peaches (a few at a time) in boiling lye. Let them remain five minutes, to loosen the fur. Then take them out and wipe perfectly clean and white. Then drop them in cold water. Boil them gently in a rich syrup till a straw will pierce them. Then put in a jar, and mix equal parts of French brandy with the syrup. Carefully exclude the air.--Mrs. G. N.