It's All Peachy

 This is still peach season. Those golden gems are out there and they are a versatile fruit. You can eat them any way - cook them any way  - bake them any way.They are perfect for meals and snacks.

Peaches first appeared in China and is a deciduous tree, meaning the fruit falls off when they're ripe.Surprisingly nectarines are also peaches but without the peach's characteristic fuzz.They arrived in England and France in the 1600's Most peaches come from China, Greece,Spain,Italy and Turkey,The Spanish brought the fruit to Latin a nd South America They came to the US thanks to Thomas Jefferson.They're now in Marylsnd, Delaware Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and New Jersey.Many states such as New Jersey have farms where visitors can pick bushels of them.There are hundreds of peach and nectarine cultivars.There are two type,s the freestone where the pit easily comes out. These should be eaten fresh, The second category is the clingstone where the pit clings to the flesh.These are good for canning but also for eating too. These golden gems are loaded with all sorts of vitamins from A to K. Eat them for their vitamin C content too. Even the peach skin is an antioxidant, loaded with cancer fighting antioxidants.

Of course the best way to have a peach is after it's been chilled in fridge for a few hours. Yet chilled sliced peaches are also good in salad too. Add  sliced chicken breasts along with feta and grapes along with a simple white wine vinaigrette for an elegant lunch or dinner. Most home chefs love baking with the fruit. Wednesday's New York Times Food section had a recipe for peach cobbler - the summer dessert of choice.Regular contributor Melissa Clark gives two versions, one an easy buttermilk one while the other is an upside down one, made in much the same way as a pineapple upside down cake.If you're making these she recommends using brown sugar as opposed to white to give the peaches a caramel note. Another amazingly good peach dessert is pesche ripiene. These are stuffed peaches made with crumbled amaretto biscuits. chopped peach pits and butter. My family has always added peach schnappes to these for more flavor and kick but you can also use peach juice too after they're baked and cooled. of course peach muffins are a nice way to start the day or a perfect snack.These scratch muffins are packed with flavor from the fruit to cinnamon. Peach cake is also a great summer treat.The simple cake is loaded with peaches and makes for a wonderful afternoon snack with iced tea or served with ice cream for a tasty dessert.

Peaches are in abundance right now. Pick a bushel and use them in cakes, pies,muffins and even salads. Have them stuffed and drizzled with a peach liqueur . Enjoy them anyway  for their flavor and benefits.