August is always a peachy time of year, but this one is even better with the local peach season turning out to be excellent. A pleasant spring allowed the trees to produce a bounty of fruit, which we can continue to enjoy into early September.
Peach season is eagerly anticipated by those who love this member of the rose family. It’s so enjoyed that there are two local peach festivals this weekend: the annual Peach Festival at Peddler’s Village in Lahaska from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and the Just Peachy festival at Terhune Orchards just outside Princeton, N.J., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Peach festivals also are popular at local churches, and Doylestown United Methodist Church will hold its festival from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 24.
Luscious and flavorful, peaches are high in nutrition. Believed to have originated in China 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, they are high in fiber and contain potassium, antioxidants and vitamins A, B3 and C. Nectarines are peaches with a smooth skin. Peaches are worth waiting for. Usually picked while still firm, they are best when allowed to soften for one to three days on your kitchen counter. Then the skin easily comes off and they are soft, fragrant and juicy to eat or bake with.
One of the simplest desserts to make from fresh local peaches is a crisp. This one comes from joythebaker.com:
For the peach filling:
6 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced into 1/4-inch slices (leaving the peel on)
Half a lemon
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the crumble top:
Butter for greasing the pan
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup old-fashioned oats
Vanilla ice cream for serving
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with butter.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together peach slices, juice from half a lemon, sugar and cinnamon. Use your hands or a spoon to toss everything together and evenly coat the peaches in sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. For the topping, in another medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and oats. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed, creating a sandy mixture. Take one full handful of the topping and toss it into the sugared peach mixture. Spread the peach mixture in the prepared pan in an even layer. Spread the rest of the topping evenly over the peaches. Toss very lightly so a few peach slices are exposed.
4. Bake the crisp in the dish on a baking sheet on the center oven rack until the topping is crunchy and the peaches are bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
