Feeling Peachy

Last weekend, I passed a grocery store whose outdoor stalls ran over with fragrant peaches. That’s a clear sign as any that peach season has arrived! For the peach recipes below, you’ll want to choose peaches that yield slightly to the touch—but aren’t so soft that they feel mushy or have tan spots. You can refrigerate peaches for up to five days, but I guarantee you won’t be able to resist them for that long.

Peach and Crème Fraîche Pie

Like me, Smitten Kitchen unabashedly relies on Martha Stewart for seasonal recipe recommendations. Of this pie, Deb writes: “There are only four things going on here: a single pie crust, some streusel, hunks of quartered peaches and crème fraîche.” That’s my kind of baking! I urge you to click through to Deb’s post for some exquisite pie photos.

Peach, Tea, and Ginger Ice Cream

Talk about sugar, spice, and everything nice—Baking Delights came up with a true original ice cream flavor. An in New York City, I continue to pine for an ice cream maker…

Peach Bread

I have some friends (or maybe they are friends of a friend—whatever: they’re the friends I aspire to) who started up a blog called Violence Baguettes Violence. It’s all about bread-making. They tackled banana bread in May, and I think it’s time for them to get with the times: PEACH TIMES! Kevin at Closet Cooking offers up this scrumptious (yes, scrumptious) peach bread that is, as he writes, basically a blueberry muffin, but with peaches and in a loaf pan. I think this is pretty unambiguously a good idea.

Speaking of good ideas, there’s a peach shortcake recipe from my current favorite cookbook that I’ve been meaning to try out. I’m hoping I’ll get a fluffier consistency than I did the first time I attempted a shortcake.

Also, hot tip: you’ll get extra points for seasonality if you incorporate peaches into your entry to our phenomenal Be Like Julie: Cook From Julia contest. Mastering the Art of French Cooking has several peach recipes on offer, like Pêches Cardinal, a compote of fresh peaches and raspberry purée, served cold. So go ahead: blog it up!