Hi Marcella, we think you're likely to lose too much peach flesh if you cut the peaches and remove the pits before blanching. Here's how PJ recommends removing the peach pits after you've removed the skins: use a knife to score the peaches all over, pressing into the flesh to the pit. Once the peach is criss-crossed with a crosshatch of lines, gently squeeze it; the pit will separate from the flesh, and the flesh will fall into chunks along your score lines. Using a cutting board will help stabilize the peaches while cutting. 

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