What do you do with a few pounds of peaches and chili peppers drying out on your counter? Make peach chili sauce! (You can use fresh, frozen or canned peaches for this). Why wouldn't you make sweet heat peach chili sauce? It is slightly peachy and amazing on chicken wings, fish tacos, or anything you would usually put hot sauce on! Plus it's really easy to make!
Hey everyone, how have you been? Did you miss me? As Raj mentioned last week, I unplugged. I spent 2 days in a cabin with no cell service or internet. Have you ever unplugged? Spent time away from the constant dinging and buzzing? I find it interesting that cell phones were made for our convenience, but how often do they interfere with everyday life?
I ventured into the woods, 21km into the mountains to a cabin my boss owns on a lake. He verified that there was no cell service up there! Perfect as I needed a full break without texts and calls from my co-workers. I needed to remove the temptation to work on the website. I love you guys so much, I feel compelled to spend every free moment with you lovely readers. But I was NOT exactly roughing it. I had a propane fridge and stove, heaters and lights. Heck, there was even a pull-down projector big screen and a solar panel with enough electricity to get you by. It's cozy, but not camping, and I wasn't exactly in the middle of nowhere. I met the neighbor's labradoodle and chatted with them. They live up there, so if I need a phone or anything they were 100 yards away. My boss built a fire and showed me how to light and work everything. Really, knowing now, I should have bought better food. Steaks to grill! But then I would have wanted to work on recipe development… would that be considered working? See, it's a sickness I can't turn off! I made some notes while I was up there so you could share in my experience:
- It is really quiet up here: the wind is whooshing through the trees; tall skinny pines that croak and moan as they sway in the wind. There is a crackle of the fire burning, occasional pops as the bark goes up in flames, a faint hiss of water simmering on the stove top.
- I got here around 1 pm.
- Took the tour and chatted with my boss, he left around 2 pm.
- I grabbed my camera and went for a walk till 3:30, playing with the setting on my camera and enjoying the alpine air.
- It is 3:45 and I feel like I should be doing something.
- I'll make tea, which should take up all of 15 min.
- No pinning, no work, no cooking, no Facebook; just me and the fire. It is the oddest feeling to ALWAYS have something to do. Now I just have me, maybe I'll read a book. Just sit. Maybe I'll do some yoga…
I did do yoga, and watched a couple of movies, “Caddyshack” because I have a crush on young Chevy Chase, and “Dumb and Dumber” because the “Dumb and Dumber To” just came out (and I am really looking forward to it!). I kept adding logs to the fire and ate some tuna lettuce wraps. I also ate a whole box of Girl Guide Cookies which made me feel sick. Next time I'll make this great paleo version to take up with me. I tried really hard to not feel guilty for literally doing NOTHING in my opinion. Went to bed by 8:30 pm, out of sheer boredom.
“It was a restless night; it was SO hot in here. I was worried I would be cold and had blankets and a onesie. I sweated my bag off. Plus the combination of all the junk food and dry wood fire heat, I was dry… parched and dehydrated and didn't want to chug water as the outhouse is a little trek in the dark, with the hazy almost full moon and creaky trees: I was a little creeped out. Then there was the issue of peeing in an outhouse while wearing a onesie: the toilet seat… subarctic, and removing my top half clothing to pee… well just plain poor planning. I had some meditations on my cell phone to listen to, which helped me get to sleep. So dark and so quiet, it made me uncomfortable. It was actually too dark and too quiet for me to sleep. Crazy. On a positive note, I woke up this morning to SNOW!! Yay! I had hoped for snow, I have a new polarized lens to play with, but it was just a single skiff, melting as we speak. maybe we will get more today…
Okay, I made oatmeal, went for a walk, played a bit with my camera, meditated lake-side, did a little yoga, and quite proudly built a fire- all by myself. I don't feel great: sore throat and so tired (from my fire? The restless sleep?) so I had a nap, woke up and read a book (yes a whole book). I am bored. I want a hot shower. I want a cup of tea and some people watching. Did I mention I want a hot shower? There are a bag of marshmallows in the cupboard- I'm wondering if I can use them to entice the neighbors to hang out. There was a guy in a tent at the end of the road I saw while walking, I wonder if I can convince him to hang out with me if I bring marshmallows? No one would harm a girl with marshmallows…
I ate, read, meditated, walked, napped, yoga-ed and it is now 7 pm. Too hot in here to try to sleep, damn my expert fire building skills, I may sleep on my yoga mat on the floor. It's slushing outside, trying to snow, but it's melting as it touches the ground. I want to drink like 8 litres of water but don't want to trek to the outhouse in the slush. I want a shower, hot shower. There is a slush shower available thanks to mother nature, and it's dark… the neighbors won't see a crazy naked girl in the slush/snow.
I needed that shower so badly I packed up and after a meditation on the dock (the sun came out it was beautiful), I started my way home. I took my time, stopping to take photos and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells. I drove with my windows open (not because I smelled bad- okay maybe a little because I smelled bad…) and my stereo off. I took in the silence. I left my phone shut off, and felt anxious when it came time to turn it back on. 240 emails. Ugh. But worth it. I know that if I had gone anywhere else I would have cheated on my unplugging. I would have glanced at the internet or sent a text. My phone is an addiction. Unplugged and alone, I experienced loneliness, and had to face that feeling; stroke its hair and tell it it was pretty; then get past it and turn it into solace -instead of reaching for my phone and ignoring the feeling.
I also came to the conclusion I am an extrovert. I get my energy from people and things going around me. I like my fast-paced lifestyle- but a balance is something I should work towards. I need to carve out time for myself, alone in nature, for just a few hours at a time. I have resolved since being home that my cell phone is for my convenience, and being unreachable for a few hours every day is good for me. Taking the time to love myself actually gives me more time in my day. It's lovely. I feel anew. Even more-so after I got that glorious hot shower.

Peach Chili Sauce
- Yield: 2 L 1x
Description
Slightly Peach delicious heat, great on wings, or fish tacos, or anywhere else you may use hot sauce!
Ingredients
- 4 cups peaches
- 1 cup chilies (seeded if you want less heat)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 4 500 ml jars with lids
Instructions
- Put peaches and chilies into a food processor and blend well.
- Transfer into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Turn down to a simmer, add honey, lime juice and water, stir well and bring back to a simmer.
- Continue to simmer and stir regularly until it starts to thicken, think ketchup consistency.
- Sterilize Jars and fill, leaving 1/3 inch head space, lid and water bath can for 15 min (or more depending on your elevation, please reference national canning guide.
- Alternately you can store in the fridge for a few weeks, or cool and freeze.
Notes
Use canned, fresh or frozen peaches!
If you need a canning kit, try this one.
- Category: Sauce
I’m a big fan of mango hot sauce, so I’m sure I would enjoy this too. I agree, they would probably be awesome on wings!
All I want to eat right now, chicken wings! I do love a good mango hot sauce too!
240 emails!!! That would give me heart palpitations. 😉
Your chili peach sauce looks delicious. 🙂
Thanks, it’s my new fave!
Your days in the woods, unplugged sounded glorious! I love the peace and solitude of reconnecting with nature and yourself. Thanks for sharing your experience… which I am just so envious of 🙂
Thanks! It was a much needed break. Next time I need to bring someone…
did you use fresh or dried chilies for this? Does it matter? what kind of chilies?
I used fresh and dried, either one is fine. I used jalapenos once; dried red chilies another time. Whichever you prefer!
We have this on the stove right now! Any estimate on how long it takes to get to ketchup consistency ?
Hi Tammy,
Holley is unable to answer this at the moment, so let me take a stab at it. Basically, it depends. Depends on how much juicy your peaches are and therefore how much liquid must be cooked off, the hot aggressively you’re simmering it, your humidity and elevation, etc. I would guess at 25-35 min as being a ballpark for this 4 cups of peaches. Keep in mind that it will continue to thicken as it cools. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent burning the bottom. Hope that helps.
We made this last night, adding 2 TBSP of brown sugar and about a half TBSP more honey. It’s fabulous!
Whoa! Maybe our peaches are way sweeter, or maybe it’s my low tolerance for sweetness, but that would be way too much extra sugar for me. I’m glad you altered it to your needs and that you enjoyed it though!
BTW Tammy, I loved looking at your photography. That vintage lens album is incredible, and the rune park looks amazing. I’m curious about the lens you’re using for the bird and wildlife photography.
Thank you, Raj! The vintage lens is my favorite – bought at a garage sale!
Most of the wildlife photos I took with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM. It’s a fantastic lens but very heavy, so I don’t use it as often as I’d like.
Runestone Park is an incredible place, and it’s not advertised enough. It’s a city park with no entrance fee! There’s a small gift shop that I’ve purchased items from to help support the place. I highly recommend it!
If I’m ever down your way, I’ll be hitting up the park, and getting you out for a kayak photoshoot!
That would be awesome! My husband and I would love to spend some time showing you around.