Making Candied Peaches Is Easier Than You'd Think

Legend of the world of art, Pablo Picasso, had big feelings about peaches. Maybe while having dinner with his friend, the poet Guillaume Apollinaire (who, apropos nothing was once arrested, per Picasso Experts, because police thought he'd stolen the Mona Lisa), Picasso talked about them. In any case, he once said something to the tune of, "One does a whole painting for one peach and people think just the opposite — that particular peach is but a detail" (via Brainy Quote). You think that was a pointless diatribe. You'd be right. Except it also wasn't. Because peaches are worthy of being painted by the greatest. The round, sun-colored fruits are worthy of entire books — ones, for example, in which peaches become larger-than-life homes for little boys named James going on adventures. They're worthy of songs performed by Justin Bieber (via Youtube).

And if just-plain peaches are art, then candied peaches are art, squared. In plain English, that means they're very delicious. Also, preparing candied peaches isn't something that only Picasso can do. On the contrary, cooking them up is a lot easier than you think.

To make candied peaches, you'll want them ripe. So, for example, if you buy a box to bake Aretha Franklin's Emeril Lagasse-approved peach cobbler (you can thank us later for dropping this Youtube link in which she teaches Lagasse how to make it), save a couple for the morning after. Then, as chef Randall Matthews once advised Real Simple, all you'll need is simple syrup, sugar, sumac, and citric acid to create candied peach slices that'll make your mouth water all summer long. Keep your peeler firmly in your drawer; there's no need to bother with it. Just cut your peach into round slices, simmer them with simple syrup for 10 minutes and let them cool. To finish them off, roll them in a mixture of sugar (one part), sumac (two parts), and citric acid (one-half part). Don't have sumac? Don't sweat. Lemon pepper will work as well.  

It's almost easier to make candied peaches than to decide what occasion to make them for. But we've taken that stressor away from you, too. HuffPost swears that "Just Because Day" really is a day, one that falls annually on August 27. Definitely celebrate it with candied peaches ... just because.