Why it works: Sugar and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 20,806 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓
Sweet Pickled Peaches or Plums
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
If peaches are used, wipe them well to remove the fur.
Prick plums in several places to keep them from cracking.
For eight pounds fruit, take four pounds sugar, one quart vinegar, two ounces each of stick cinnamon, nutmeg, and whole cloves.
Cook and pickle
Boil vinegar, sugar, and spices together for ten minutes.
Add peaches, being careful not to let them boil until soft.
Put in stone jar.
In a day or two, pour vinegar and scald again.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 3 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Fruit | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Sugar + vinegartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Sugar
- Sweetens the pickle and helps preserve the fruit.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that sharpens the flavor and helps preserve the fruit.
- Peaches (in the method)
- Provide the fruit that becomes tender and absorbs the spiced syrup.
The step that matters
Add peaches without letting them boil until soft. Boiling fruit breaks down its cell walls, so peaches turn mushy and lose their shape. Keeping the syrup below a boil lets them soften gently while staying intact.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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