Those peaches... did they smell like peaches? or not quite?
Did you try to peel as-is? or dunk in a boiling water bath first, then into ice-water?
And... did you get free-stone? or cling-stone?
Cling-stone is a royal pain... I don't buy them at any price. Free-stone is far superior - the peach twists off the pit realy easy, if they are ripe. And if the peaches are ripe enough, they also peel easy - quarter them (easier to work with than halves), then catch a bit of skin with a thin paring knife, and usually it just peels right off in 2 or 3 strips.
If the peaches are not quite ripe, the boiling-water/ice-water combo loosens the skins, but then you'll have peach juice running down your arms and puddling on the floor!
