spicy peach chutney: picnic fare

Tweet

If you are wanting to have a sophisticated picnic on the beach, peach chutney is the perfect accompaniment to simple yet lovely food.

As we walked down the longest sets of steps ever to Wreck Beach, right near UBC, the sun (through the obnoxious amount of smoke that has settled on Vancouver due to too many wildfires) coated everything in a hazy pink glow. The perfect setting for a picnic.

Wreck Beach really is a lovely spot. It is decently clean, sheltered, and has just the right slope into the water for skim-boarding. We had a lovely time, munching on fruit, bread, chutney, and cheese, while Blair gracefully dealt with Josh and I snapping photos every few moments.

I love chutney - especially on bread with cheese (as you can see from the decimation of the bread above). Chutney originated in India as a form of 'relish' with meals. It was made from fresh fruit and spices, could be either sour or sweet, and range from runny to firm in texture. When trade really opened up between the East and West in the 1600s, chutney was brought back as a 'luxury good' for Europeans. When the British colonized India, they brought this delightful condiment to the rest of the 'Empire', where it flourished in places where similar fruits and spices were available. Chutney became widely used in the Caribbean and South Africa (where Mrs Balls Original Chutney originated - the best chutney you can buy!!).

Spicy Peach Chutney

4-5 large peaches, peeled (soak them in hot water and then peel off the skin with your hands - easy peasy!), pitted and chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/8 c. candied ginger, finely chopped
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. sultana raisins
1 tsp. allspice
pinch cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, ground
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

1. Heat all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over low for about 45 minutes, until your eyes are watering from the vinegar and the sauce has thickened significantly.

2. Store in an airtight container in your fridge. Will keep for about 3 weeks. (then again, I'm leery of any leftovers, so I'm sure it keeps longer!)

3. Pray. Eat. Enjoy on a piece of french bread with cheese, with interesting sights in the background.