Peaches…fragrant, juicy, wonderful…
By Cynthia Bowan
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"I like peaches, peaches in a can…they were put there by a MAAAN, in a factory downtown, and If I had my little waaaay, I'd eat peaches every day...."…millions of peaches, ... peaches for me."
Facing yet another bout of writer’s block, I am sitting here, staring at the computer when my daughter Holly walked by.
"What are you doing?" she asks.
"Trying to get inspired," I reply. "I’m trying to write a column for chef2chef that would be summery. And I already did strawberries."
I continued to stare at the white page in front of me. "Peaches!" I yelled, and Holly leaned around the dining room archway, one eyebrow raised.
"Cherries!" She retorted. "No, wait!" And with that, she started singing a few sentences from a song by some group I’d never heard of - which, of course, is not a big surprise. Holly left for work, and I tried my best to Google the song, but could not find the complete lyrics nor the group who sang it…which, knowing how lyrics go in some songs today, might be a good thing… <GBG>
I go back to when John Denver sang "…blow up your TV, move to the country, eat a little peaches, on your own…" well, it made more sense than a
person singing about eating peaches out of a can…
I can remember coming back with my family after spending two weeks in South Carolina, and stopping somewhere close to Pennsylvania and buying peaches near Chambersburg. "The best peaches in the whole country" Dad said once. Momma agreed, and Dad would load a bushel into the trunk or the floor of the back seat, cramping Susan, Joe and I a bit.
The fragrance would fill the car in no time. And that, to the three of us in the back of the car, meant fresh ice cream, Momma’s wonderful, creamy ice cream or fresh peach pie. Oh yes, that made our inconvenience highly bearable.
Peaches…fragrant, juicy, wonderful…
I love all varieties of peaches. One of the times, when we were at my Aunt Annie Gene’s home in Sumter, she took a huge peach with a lighter colored peel and cut small wedges from it so that we could all taste a white peach. Unbelievable flavor…so fragrant, and wonderful, with the juice dripping down my hand…
I even confess to buying those little "doughnut" peaches, AKA flying saucers or UFO peaches. Yes, I know they are expensive, but…I love them…
Peach Melba is one of the most delicious desserts you might ever taste - I’ve made this at home, using raspberry
syrup…and peach pies? You think you can’t get excited over a peach pie? Oh, cut me a break! Wait until you take a bite or two of peach custard pie!
Peachy Keen Peach Shake
5 c. fresh peaches, chopped
3 T. honey
2-1/4 c. low fat milk
1 pint peach ice cream
Dash cinnamon and nutmeg
Place peaches, honey and 1/4 c. milk in blender. Puree until almost smooth. Add remaining milk, ice cream and spices to taste. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Garnish with peach slices if desired. From the Wedgwood Inn of New Hope, PA.
Fresh Peach Salsa
½ tsp. grated or minced fresh ginger root
5 ripe peaches, peeled and chopped
1/4 c. minced green onions
1 ½ T. sugar
½ tsp. dry mustard
1 ½ T. fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Combine ginger and one-fourth of peaches in blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Combine remaining ingredients with puree, stirring gently. Cover and chill up to 4 hrs. Serve with ham, pork, chicken or seafood. Yields 2 ½ c.
Party Peach Melba
6 peach halves
1/ 2 cup toasted almonds
8 ounce can red raspberries or 1 pkg. thawed frozen raspberries or 1 cup sweetened fresh raspberries
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Rum flavoring
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup sugar
Wash and peel fresh peaches, cook until tender in syrup of water and sugar. If canned peaches are used, place 1 peach half in 6 individual dessert dishes. Stud peach halves with almonds. Spoon the raspberries over peaches, chill. Whip ice cream with electric beater at medium speed or with wooden spoon until it reaches pouring consistency. Blend in flavoring, and pour over peaches.
Peach Custard Pie Massachusetts
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter
2 cups fresh peaches, sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup cream
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press this into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie plate. Place sliced peaches on crust. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over peaches. Bake for 15 minutes. Mix egg and cream until frothy and pour over peaches. Return to oven for 30 minutes, or until custard is set. Makes 8 servings.
Blue Ribbon Recipes from; Yankee's Country Fair Cookbook
Baked Stuffed Peaches
6 ripe peaches
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 lb. almond macaroons, crushed.
Peel and halve peaches; scoop out about 1 teaspoon of the center pulp of each half.
Mash pulp; mix with sugar, crushed macaroons and egg yolks. Place halves close together, cut side up, in greased baking dish, about 8x12. Spoon the macaroon mixture into center of each. Bake the dessert in a slow oven (300°) for 30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender.
Peach Delight
1 (2-layer) package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
1 pound peaches, sliced, sweetened
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
Cinnamon to taste
Combine cake mix and butter in bowl; mix well. Spread in bottom of lightly greased 12 x 8" cake pan. Layer peaches over top. Blend sour cream, sugar, and egg yolks in bowl. Spoon the mixture over the peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350F. for 30-35 minutes or until set. Yield: 12 servings.
Low-Fat Peach Pound Cake
Vegetable cooking spray
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ cup plain low fat yogurt
1 ½ cups sugar, divided
3 eggs
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour, divided
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped, fresh peaches
Spray a 10" tube pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1teaspoon sugar. Combine oil and yogurt; gradually add remaining sugar, beating well. Add whole eggs and whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well. Combine 2 ¾ cups flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to yogurt mixture; beat until well blended. Dredge peaches with remaining ¼ cup flour. Fold peaches into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. Serves 16.
Peach Refrigerator Cake
1/2 pound marshmallows
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup ginger ale
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
Sponge cake or lady fingers
6-8 peaches, sliced
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
Cut marshmallows in quarters, add to orange juice and stir over hot water until almost melted; cool slightly and add ginger ale. When slightly thickened fold in 3/4 cup whipped cream. Line a spring form pan with waxed paper. Arrange layer of cake or ladyfingers on bottom, next a layer of peaches, then layer of marshmallows; repeat until there are 3 layers of cake and 2 of filling. Chill in refrigerator overnight. Unmold; garnish with remaining peaches and cream and ginger.
By Cynthia Bowan
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Peachy Keen Peach Shake | Fresh Peach Salsa | Party Peach Melba | Peach Custard Pie Massachusetts
Baked Stuffed Peaches | Peach Delight | Low-Fat Peach Pound Cake | Peach Refrigerator Cake
