Peaches are perfect!

It is peach season! Finally! Every year I write an ode to peaches, my favorite fruit. This year will be no different. First, I have to start with the Bellini. I’m craving one especially this year for some reason, perhaps due to my upcoming trip to Italy in October? Created by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1948, owner of Harry’s Bar in Venice, as a seasonal cocktail to make use of the abundance of white peaches that year. The peaches are pureed WITH their skin, chilled and then added to a cocktail glass and topped with Prosecco (produced in the Veneto region of Italy). He named it the Bellini because the color reminded him of a painting by the artist Vincenzo Bellini.  Here’s an official recipe from La Cucina Italiana.

From a health perspective, there’s plenty of reasons to eat a peach. Full of fiber, nutrients and antioxidants, peaches are great for your skin, heart and gut health. Do NOT peel that skin away. Keep the skin, save a step and get more health benefits. Just use the scrub side of a sponge or a cloth to wipe away the fuzz. You’ve got to wash the peach before you eat it anyway, and doing so will remove any fuzz that may be giving you sensory issues. 

A fresh peach pie is always a staple in my house. I’ll bake a pie crust, then after it’s completely cooled I’ll pile in the sliced fresh peaches and top the whole thing with peach jello to hold it all together. After an hour or so in the fridge, the easiest and most delicious pie you will ever have is ready to be topped with freshly whipped cream and enjoyed. 

Let’s talk about the peach’s savory side. Apart from pie and eating out of hand, peaches love to be added to a greens salad, paired with cucumbers, basil, mint and they love being paired with corn. While I prefer my peaches raw vs cooked, I love the peach/ corn flavor combo so much that my workaround is to make a fresh corn cornbread and to serve that alongside a fresh greens salad topped with basil and peaches.  Here are two recipes for fresh corn cornbread - one spicy and one not - to try out. 

Cornbread with Sweet Corn  

Spicy Cornbread with Fresh Corn  

If you are craving some additional recipes for peaches the Italian way, here are 12 Peach Recipes for Summer from La Cucuina Italiana. Godere!