Peaches are a big part of summer dining. They're eaten fresh after a wash in icy cold water. They grace pues, crumbles and cobblers. Unfortunately there's a peach drought,impacting fruit lovers across the country.
Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this problem in yesterday's New York Times Food section. It's well known that Georgia supplies the country with peaches.even South Carolina who supplies more peaches - namely seventy five per cent is also suffering from this. Yet the ones available are shining,, soft , fleshy and juicy. yet the peach drought can also be found in New England where harvesters are hard pressed to find one.Again it has to do with the weather where there was a blossom killing February cold snap that took temperatures below zero. One state is shining through and that's New Jersey. The Garden State now has a terrific peach crop. The weather here has been perfect, without excessive rain that can render the fruit mushy according to Pegi Adam f the New Jersey Peach associatiom..TRhis will be great for the many peach farms throughout the state that rely on July and August picking season for revenue. California is also have a good season, The California summer has been cooler which results in a sweeter, tastier fruit .
Yet what are Southern cooks and bakers doing about this? They're still using Southern grown peaches. Steve Satterfield , chef at Atlanta's Miller Union is not about to supplement his precious allotment of just two cases. He does not want it use New Jersey or California peaches. Instead he is building recipes around the deficit.His pastry chef, Claudia V. Martinez is slicing them extra thin for layering on a cornmeal cake with vanilla ice cream. Tomaores and cucumber s paly supporting roles in a peach salad that also has ricotta ,herbs and crunchy granola. The bartender is pondering whar to do with the peach pits for non alcoholic mocktails. Some chefs are simply giving up. Erika Council who runs the Atlanta breakfast spot Bomb Biscuits is making jam with pineapple and canteloupe, Customers will have to wait next year for her peach reaper sauce made with Georgia peaches and Carolina reaper peppers. She doesn't want to use canned or frozen peaches because they wouldnt give the sauce that fresh taste. Theere also too expensive as well
Hopefully this peach drought will just be temporary. The world needs the sweet goodness of Georgia peaches. They are true gems tha thopefulyl make a comeback.
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