I'm still getting used to the shifted growing season out here in Northern California, but I think that these yellow peaches are still pretty darn early! Even so, the sample I tried at the farmers market this weekend was tart-sweet, very juicy, and definitely good enough to convince me to buy a few. What do you think I should do with them?
I'm thinking these peaches are maybe a little too sour to eat on their own or with my usual morning bowl of yogurt. But they'd do fantastically in a dessert, especially a hot one that caramelizes the sugars in the fruit and draws out more of their sweetness.
Here are a few ideas I've been mulling:
• Grilled Peaches with Vanilla-Bourbon Whipped Cream
• Roasted Peaches with Dessert Wine
• Peach and Thyme Polenta Tart
• Fresh Peach Crumble
• Peach and Biscuit Crostada
What would you do with these peaches?
Related: Quick Tip: What to Do with Unripe Fruit
(Image: Emma Christensen)
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Thanks so much for letting me know that peaches are already at Nor-Cal farmer's markets! I had no idea! I was expecting to wait another month or so. Which FM did you see them at?
@DessertForTwo - I've seen them at both Sunnyvale and Mountain View in the last few weeks! I'm guessing a few farmers MUST have them at Ferry Plaza, though.
Hmm, what about making a white wine peach sangria? Could always add a tablespoon of honey to balance out the tartness--though, in a super-sweet Riesling, maybe the tartness would work?
Barring that, blend them, stir into vanilla yogurt, and freeze in popsicle moulds!
Freeze them and use to make frozen peach margaritas. The tartness totally works.
Frog Hollow Farm, one of the vendors at the San Francisco Ferry Marketplace (Building), grows over a dozen varieties of peaches and so the harvest is spaced out from May through October (my favorite is generally available September/October).
One of my favorite ways of enjoying the earlier peaches is to halve, pit, grill, then fill the center with a bit of hazelnut butter mixed with softly whipped cream, drizzle with a Frangelico caramel sauce, and top with toasted chopped hazelnuts.
They are available in Sacramento as well. The flesh is not all that sweet, but I am still enjoying eating them out of hand. They are firm enough to rip the pit to pieces, so that is a bit of a problem, but I can't eat enough peaches. White peaches, apricots and pluots too.
The peaches seemed early this year to me, too. I took advantage of the simultaneous crops and made...
a Rhubarb Peach Tart!
It was delicious and very pretty. I had no idea how well the flavors would go together, but I guess peaches are about as sweet the classic rhubarb match, strawberries. Trust me, they make an awesome tart.
Halve them and remove the stone, drizzle with honey and bake for about 1/2 hour. Then top with roasted almond praline and a mascarpone/double cream mixture. Divine.