Homespun
by Judy Henderson

August 22, 2001

A Peach of A Summer!

Nothing says summer more than a basket of fresh, ripe peaches. Enjoy them in a variety of ways from eating out of hand to baked in a creamy pie.

Select peaches that are free of blemishes. A rosy color alone isn't a sign of maturity; the best clue to ripeness is the golden or creamy undercolor of the fruit. Ripe peaches should yield to gentle palm pressure.

One pound of fresh peaches equals 3 medium peaches or 2 cups sliced. To prevent the sliced fruit from darkening, sprinkle with ascorbic acid or lemon juice.

PEACH COBBLER SUPREME

About 8 cups sliced fresh peaches

2 cups sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

Pastry for double-crust 9-inch pie

Combine peaches, sugar, flour, and nutmeg; set aside until syrup forms. Bring peaches to a boil, and cook over low heat 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; add almond extract and butter, stirring well.

Roll out half of pastry to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured board; cut into a 10 x 8-inch rectangle. Spoon half of peaches into a lightly buttered 10 x 8-inch baking dish; top with pastry. Bake at 475° for 12 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Spoon remaining peaches over baked pastry.

Roll out remaining pastry, and cut into ½-inch strips; arrange in lattice design over peaches. Return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

PEACHES-AND-CREAM PIE

6 fresh peaches

1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell

½ cup sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup commercial sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Peel peaches and cut in half; place in pastry shell, cut side up. Combine ½ cup sugar, flour and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a small mixing bowl; sprinkle evenly over peaches. Spread sour cream over top. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over sour cream. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes; lower heat to 350°, and continue baking 30 minutes. Yield: one 9-inch pie.

PEACH SORBET

1½ pounds fresh peaches

¼ cup orange juice

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

Peel peaches and remove pits. Puree peaches in a blender with orange juice and lemon juice. In a one quart saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and water to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Combine sugar mixture and peach puree. Pour mixture into a 9 x 9-inch pan. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and freeze for at least three hours. Stir several times during the freezing process to avoid large ice crystals. You can also pour the combined puree and sugar mixture into an automatic ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions for freezing. Makes 6 servings.

FIVE FRUIT SALAD FOR 5-A-DAY

½ cup orange juice

1 cup seedless grapes

1 orange, peeled, sliced, and quartered

1 banana, peeled and sliced

1 peach or nectarine, pitted and cubed

Pour juice over fruits and refrigerate until cold. Makes 4 servings.

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