Super Simple Peach Crumble

After 1 week of fall-like weather, it is back to mid-80 temperatures in Virginia. This warmth has me thinking less about Autumn’s apples and pears, and more about Summer’s berries and peaches. Remember those amazing peaches I mentioned from the market back in August? One of the sweet treats I made with the peaches was a crumble that about as easy as it gets.

Peaches were terrific in it. Since the dessert is based off of a recipe that originally called for nectarines, though, I imagine it would be tasty with about any stone fruit you prefer. Also, although I made it in a single dish, it certainly would be cute baked in separate ramekins or individual mini cast iron pans.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

3 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

juice of half a lemon, freshly squeezed

pinch salt

6 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp wheat germ

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss peaches with granulated sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Let stand for at least 15 minutes (but no more than 1 hour).

In another bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, wheat germ, and butter with your fingers to form a crumbly mixture.

In a cast iron pan (or baking dish as a substitute), pour the peach mixture with its liquid. Bake for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, top the peaches with the crumbs and bake for another 15 minutes or until the fruit is soft and bubbly and the streusel is golden brown. Serve topped with vanilla ice cream.

[Recipe adapted from Nectarine-Thyme Crumble, Food & Wine Magazine, July 2013: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/nectarine-thyme-crumble]

Snacks at the Market

The past few weeks have been wonderful at the farmers’ market. Although I have been finding tasty items all summer, within just the past couple of weeks the colors really exploded, a feast for the eyes even before the palate. Plus, I discovered that one of the vendors had freestone peaches. As opposed to clingstone peaches, I find freestone to be so much friendlier to eat, and luckily, they tasted amazing too.

Because of how beautiful the bounty has been, you just had to see it.

Last week, it was: sweet corn, freestone peaches, green beans, sweet potatoes, leeks, cantaloupe, heirloom and Roma tomatoes, and these fun little sweet snack peppers that I got because they were to brilliantly colored and cheery to pass up.

This week, I found: cantaloupe, peaches, butternut squash, onions, Asian pears, green beans, eggplant, Pattypan squash.

I also noticed once again that another lovely thing about the farmers’ market is that the walk to and from the market from our neighborhood on Saturday mornings is quite possibly the friendliest spot in northern Virginia. Other mornings it may be a commuter’s hurried trek to the rail station, but on Saturday mornings, people stroll leisurely along the paths. Just about everyone smiles at one another in passing. They say, “good morning” or “how are you” as you cross paths. This exchange of greetings that does not often happen between strangers in this area at other times and places. It is not lost on me that these encounters happen in the morning sunlight, under a canopy of trees alive with songbirds and over the prospect of fresh food.

Blueberry Shortbread Buttermilk Ice Cream

What to do to use up the last of some buttermilk…

Let’s make ice cream! Blueberries, buttermilk, crushed Lorna Doone shortbread cookies, plus a few more ingredients combined into my wonderful ice cream maker – and poof, I have a fun new ice cream flavor to try out.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound blueberries (if frozen, thaw)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  2 cups buttermilk
• handful shortbread cookies (such as Lorna Doone, around 10), crushed

Directions:

Puree blueberries with sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the buttermilk.

Transfer to the container of an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's directions. At about 10-15min, as the ice cream begins to firm up, sprinkle the crushed shortbread cookies and complete the ice cream for a few more minutes. Pack the ice cream into an airtight container, cover and freeze for at least 2 hours to allow the ice cream to harden before serving.