The Theme Is … Peaches!

 
August is National Peach Month (Happy Peach Month!). So today’s theme post is dedicated to this classic summer fruit that brings with it such memories as homemade peach ice cream, getting sticky all over from biting into a juicy ripe peach, or the scent of crates or bushels of peaches perfuming the kitchen, bringing with it the promise of warm peach cobbler before the day’s end.

Speaking of cobblers, why don’t we start there? Many peach recipes involve cobblers or crisps in some form, and we’ve got our share of those treats here. There’s something about the sweet, soft fruit paired with perfectly baked batter or the contrasting texture of crunchy topping that just tastes like they were made for each other. (Of course, throw in some of Ree’s Maple Cream Sauce, and no one had better try to put that match asunder.)

Clockwise from top left: Peach Cobbler from mrsbmw09, Peach Cobbler from ThreeManyCooks, Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce from Ree, Peach Crunch Cake from Bakerella, Gluten Free Peach Cobbler from whatlifedishesout, and Peach Crisp (Revised) from elanaspantry.

 
 
 
If you’d rather have something cold instead, then fight the heat of this summer with some frozen peach treats. I had a wonderful friend named Ruth who would tell me stories of the time she and her husband lived next to a peach orchard. Every summer, they would buy fresh peaches that were so sweet and juicy that one bite sent juice streaming down their shirts. All they had to do was mix them with cream—no sugar needed—to make the most incredible peach ice cream ever. “By the end of the summer, you had to roll us out the doors after all the ice cream we’d been eating,” she said.

 
According to her, the best way to pick a peach is to simply smell it. Also check the area around the stem; you want to see it with a creamy yellow color. If it looks green, it was picked too early, and if the skin looks wrinkled, it was picked too long ago. When you do find the right peach, oh what a delight it is when made into ice cream. Or sorbet. Or frozen yogurt. And every time I have a scoop, I think of dear old Ruthie with peach juice running down her chin.

Clockwise from top left: Peach Sorbet from bunkycooks, White Peach Ice Cream from daydreamerdesserts, and Brown Sugar and Peach Frozen Yogurt from tallmisto, and Peach Sour Cream Ice Creamfrom oneordinaryday.

 
 
 
Peaches also lend their wonderful flavor well to savory dishes and fruit salsas. The combination of slight tartness and natural sweetness can really enhance main course recipes. It’s okay if you have canned peaches and not fresh ones. The peaches that are canned are processed within 24 hours of being picked, and so they still retain their nutritional value.

Clockwise from top left: “Can-Time” Pork from daniellawilson, Peach Noodle Kugel from Ree, Mango and Peach Salsa from soyonb, and Peachy Sweet and Sour Tofu Stir-Fry from lizzygoesdutch.

 
 
 
Another way to enjoy the flavor of peaches is in drinks. Peach iced tea is one of my favorite flavors of iced tea, and it’s a great drink component especially in cases where the recipe calls for passionfruit and you don’t have any on hand. Of course, it’s so much more than just a stand-in. Just take a look at Jaden’s Peach, Passionfruit and Prosecco below, or that Sunshine Nectar from goodlifeeats and maybe you too will be tempted to plan a meal tonight that will give you an excuse to make these drinks.

 
 
 
For all its versatility, there is no denying that peaches are really most popular in desserts. Not just as cobblers and crisps as we highlighted at the beginning of this post, but in so many other ways. Whether in muffins or tarts, cakes or pies, or even just sliced in half, grilled and then dressed up, you can always count on peaches to give a dish that extra summery feel.

Clockwise from top left: Peach Cups from jillskitchen, Peach, Raspberry and Almond Cake from runningwithtweezers, Fresh Peach Pie from jlclawson, Grilled Peaches with Ricotta Cheese and Balsamic Reduction from savorysweetlife, Peach Tartlets from Cooking Ventures, and Rhubarb Ginger Peach Muffins from Tracy (sugarcrafter).

 
 
 
And that’s our nod to National Peach Month! How about you? Do you have any peachy stories to share? (Sorry, bad pun.) Any memories that make you feel all warm and … fuzzy? (Oh dear. Make me stop.)

 
I think I’ll sign off now before you start passing around a petition to have me impeached.