Here’s to Peaches!
Posted on July 8, 2010 by bob in GPlenty
Chilton County peaches are in! I’ve bought more than a few already, and you’ll be seeing me at the curb market again and again until they are gone. I’ll grab them for my summer snack, slice them over my morning cereal. I’ll make peach beverages, chilled peach soup, peach cobbler, homemade peach ice cream. I’ll sweeten them and serve them over homemade pound cake. I’ll freeze them. I’ll probably even halve some and put them on the grill. In the end, I’ll even make preserves.
I’ve got peaches on the brain! While entertaining recently, I served ice cold Bellinis to welcome guests and chilled peach soup as a first course in honor of a Chilton County bride. I was thrilled when Mama called me over last week for conversation and to enjoy her easy-but-delicious cobbler, fresh out of the oven. Oh, my goodness! And what could be more wonderful in the middle of our summer than sharing homemade peach ice cream with friends?
You know, I’ve never been asked to run for Chilton County Peach Queen, but I could be persuaded. Did someone say the prize was a nice, big basket?
Bellinis
16 oz. peach nectar, chilled (This can be purchased, or you can make your own by pureeing peaches and straining the juice. I like to make it fresh.)
1 (750-ml.) bottle Champagne or Prosecco, chilled
Garnish: slices of peach, fresh raspberries
Fill champagne flutes with 2 oz. peach nectar and 4 oz. champagne. Garnish and serve immediately.
Chilled Peach Soup
6 ripe peaches
1 cup white wine
1 ½ c. water
3 T. sugar
1 T. lemon or lime juice
¼ c. orange juice
Pinch of allspice, optional
Peel and cut up peaches. Puree peaches in blender or food processor. Put peach puree in saucepan and add water, wine, juices, sugar and spice.
Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Cool, then freeze. Remove from freezer about 45 minutes before serving, so that mixture is well chilled and slightly slushy. (I like to add additional chopped peaches just before serving.)
Mama’s Easy Peach Cobbler
Slice fresh peaches thin to cover the bottom of a 9×9” pan. Cover peaches with slices of white loaf bread, crusts removed.
Mix:
1 egg, beaten
1 c. sugar
2 T. flour
1 stick of butter, softened
Cover top of bread with mix. Cook 30 minutes at 350°. Serve immediately.
Homemade Peach Ice Cream
5 eggs, beaten
1 c. sugar
1 qt. of milk
Mix together in heavy dutch oven and cook on medium heat on eye of stove until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Pour into freezer container of electric ice cream freezer.
Add by stirring in:
1 can Eagle brand milk
1 T. vanilla
2 c. fresh peaches, pureed in food processor
and enough milk to finish filling freezer container
It usually takes me 2 bags of ice coated with a box of rock salt to freeze until firm.
Patsy Smith, a Montgomery native, is the author of two cookbooks: A Cookbook For My Southern Daughter and A Southern Daughter Entertains. These books may be purchased at Capitol Book and News, Rosemont Gardens, Southern Homes and Gardens, Jo’s Hallmark, Richardson’s Pharmacy, and other fine book and gift stores, or through southerndaughtercookbooks.com.
