The cultivation of peaches in the Lombard foothills and in particular in the Varese lake area has very ancient origins. We have news of this presence already in the Renaissance and later appeared, very much appreciated, on the Este boards. Thanks to the favorable microclimate, these delicious fruits of the earth were grown widely until about 1950, when the cultivation has begun to decline, thanks to the demographic development and urbanization that has taken away land to crops. Currently the cultivation is still active especially in the area surrounding Lake Monate, where are concentrated 35% of the land under the peach orchard detected throughout the province of Varese. So, while not the Monate peaches completely disappeared, their production has decreased significantly, but has always been there.
The use of preserving Monate peaches, so you have available in the winter months a typical summer product, unlike today when you can find almost all the year, dates back to the 20s of last century. According to legend, the cook then in service at Villa Motta in Travedona-Monate, had the idea to keep them in syrup, so that you can offer as a dessert, even out of season, to Modrone Visconti, thus beginning the tradition of craftsmanship that continues to this day. A brilliant idea that has probably saved from extinction the peach orchards of Lake Monate as is unfortunately the case for many other orchards in the foothills areas.
Even today the preparation of peach of Monate method has not changed since then, and is done in a completely manual way, without adding any colorings or preservatives. The gathering takes place in the early morning before the sun has time to warm them time, expertly choose the connectors fruits at the right point of maturation. You are then thoroughly washed, after which it proceeds to manually cut into two parts and denocciolarle. After being peeled by hand one by one the peach halves are put into tins, coated with a syrup made from sugar and water and hermetically sealed. then takes the sterilization of the cans in boiling water, for a time varying from 12 to 15/18 minutes depending on the degree of ripening of the fruit. All the work is done during the day within a few hours only in this way peaches retain a firm texture and compact their typical crispness and a unique taste.
The sterilization process and sciroppatura help to preserve the Monate peaches at room temperature for several months, thus giving the opportunity to enjoy on any occasion these tasty fruits of our land. Production takes place in the months of June, July and August, following the natural rhythms of fruit ripening, which change depending on the different varieties. All cultivated varieties, both white pulp that yellow, have in common with each other of pulp firmness that makes them particularly suited to canning and preserving.
italian recipes: http://lepeschedimonate.com
originally published by: www.labissa.com
photo by: https://lacucinadimafalda.wordpress.com