Your teeth break though the fuzzy skin and sink into the soft, juicy flesh. Juice drips down your chin with every bite, as you fight to keep as much juice in your mouth as possible. You’re left with a sweet explosion in your mouth. This is a perfect peach.
Although Georgia has laid claim to the peach, the fruit actually originated in China. The peach made its way west by way of the Spice Road and landed in Persia where it gets its name; peach is a descendent of the “Persian Apple”, the name Romans gave the fruit. The peach came to the Americas with the Spanish explorers and made its way into North America through a variety of people, including Franciscan monks and Cherokee Indians.
Ohio produces delicious peaches in the summer with a season that starts end of July and can go as late as end of September. Joseph Burnham IV, operations manager of Burnham Orchards states when buying peaches in Ohio, local peaches may have more flavor than Georgia peaches due to the shipping process. A ripe peach will turn from green to yellow from the stem down as it ripens. The side of the peach that faces the sun turns red, so it is best when picking a peach to look toward the stem end to see when the peach was picked. If that undercoat is yellow or warmer in color, the more time that peach spent in the tree and the sweeter it will be. Some out of state peach growers may pick the peach while still slightly green so its flesh is firm and therefore more likely to travel without significant bruising. Local peaches do not travel as far, and therefore can be picked closer to ripe, as they are less concerned with long distance bruising. But of course, the best thing to do is check each peach yourself.
Burnham’s family farm is located in Berlin Heights in Erie County, which he feels adds to the quality of peach produced. The Burnham family actually was granted the land from the State of Connecticut as part of the Firelands, a grant of land to replace homes and lands burned by soldiers during the Revolutionary War. The Burnham’s son moved to Ohio and cleared the land for farming. This family farm has been passed down through the generations and remains a family run business. The farm devotes 35 acres of its land to peach growing. The orchards are on fertile lakebed soils that sit on higher land. Peaches don’t enjoy the cold, so the elevation helps keep the peach trees in a warmer airflow, away from the low-lying land where cold air tends to settle in. Peaches are so cold sensitive that improperly storing them at temperatures cooler than 40° F temperatures can turn the peach flesh mealy. If possible, store your peaches at room temperature. If you need them not to ripen as quickly, make sure your refrigeration is not below 40°F.
Peaches and nectarines (the fuzz-free, skinned peach) come in a number of varieties. White flesh peaches are less acidic than yellow flesh varieties, but also generally have less flavor than yellow ones. When cut in half, Freestone peaches have an easily dislodged pit. Clingstone pits are more embedded in the flesh. In Ohio, clingstone varieties tend to ripen first, while freestone varieties are found later in the season, according to Burnham.
Although confessing to not being much of a cook himself, Burnham will rave about his mother’s peach crumb pie. My favorite peach dish involves my grandmother’s home in Novelty. After a day of playing in her pool, we were always treated to a bowl of fresh peach ice cream. This ice cream was handmade and delivered fresh weekly by her milkman. She had an actual person who would deliver fresh milk, and when her grandkids were visiting, a half-gallon of fresh peach ice cream. The ice cream was rich and creamy, with large peach chunks. Freshly scooped, the peaches were crystallized and slightly icy, but let the ice cream sit a few minutes, and the peaches became sweet, soft and juicy. A juicy, sweet summer peach can’t be beat alone or in a summer dish. Or ice cream.
RECIPES
Grilled Peach, Almond and Arugula Salad
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh arugula, washed and dried
6 cups fresh mixed greens, washed and dried
3 free stone peaches, sliced and grilled
1/2 cup parmesan cheese flakes
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 Tbsp. candied ginger, minced
Directions:
Toss all ingredients together in large bowl with balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below).
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a food processor, blend together vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly add oil to create an emulsion. Toss with salad.
Peaches and Cream in Phyllo Shells
Recipe adapted from Athens Fillo Dough Recipe Book
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups sour cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
4-5 ripe peaches
¼ cup sugar
20 sheets Athens Fillo Dough, thawed
¼ cup butter, melted
16 mint leaves for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
To make the cream: combine the sour cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste, then stir and refrigerate.
Cut peaches into quarters and toss with sugar. Chill.
Prepare 16 shells by spreading out phyllo sheets.
Working quickly, brush sheets with melted butter and stack into four sheets each stack. Cut sheets into 4 inch diameter circles or 4 inch squares.
Place buttered sheets into a buttered muffin tin. Place each stack of four sheets into each muffin cup to create a little phyllo cup. Bake shells 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of cream into each shell, arrange peaches on top and finish with more cream. Garnish with mint leaves.
Peach Honey Bread
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 ½ cups AP flour
1/4 cup warm water
3 large eggs, plus 1 for glazing
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup fresh peaches, peeled and diced
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, add warm water (approximately 100°F) and pour yeast into warm water. Add the granulated sugar. Let the mixture rest until it begins to ferment and bubble.
Whisk the eggs, salt, oil and honey. Add peaches. Add the flour all at once. Knead ingredients together with your hands until all ingredients are incorporated. Turn out dough on countertop that’s been lightly dusted with flour and knead it smooth, no more than 5 minutes.
Place the dough in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into equal, ball-shaped portions for loaves.
Cover the loaves well with plastic wrap. Let them proof until tripled in size, about 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Whisk the remaining egg with a little water to brush over the dough. Brush fully proofed loaves with the egg glaze. Bake for approximately 25 minutes until browned. Place finished loaves on a rack to cool.
