Peaches......

Prunus Persica

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE peach season! Here in South Carolina we can pick peaches as early as late May through September, if we’re lucky. As soon as they start to arrive at the farmers market you might see me as often as once a week. And as for the treats that can be made using these juicy orbs, oh my goodness! Usually at the begining of the season I’ll start with pies and cobblers, but as the summer goes on and the free stones come in I just cut them up and pile them on top of some really good vanilla bean ice cream.

Native to China, the peach has been highly reguarded since 6000 BC; today over 11 million tons are grown annually. Peaches have traveled far and wide through the centuries. In Persia (now Iraq) they were called Persian Apples, after conquered by Alexander The Great the Roman Empire spread peaches throughout Europe, bringing them over the Atlantic to South America via the Spanish explorers in the 16th century. By the 17th century the noble peach finally found a home in North America, credited to a European horticulturalist named George Minifie who had a 1200 acre Virgina estate planted with gardens and orchards, including our beloved peach. It wasn’t until the 18th though that peaches were grown commercially, making them available to more than those who lived near the farm stands.

With our peach season coming to a close, I am truely going to miss fresh peaches on my ice cream. If you’re lucky and come to the restaurant in the next day or so you might still get a slice of the NY style cheesecake that I made with fresh sliced peaches. If you’re not so fortunate, call me with a request for another and if you’re lucky there might still be a few peaches to be had for me to make some more. Ya’ll have a great Labor Day weekend, be safe, enjoy your time with family and friends, make yourself some vanilla bean ice cream and top off a bowl with some fresh South Carolina peaches! Bob and Lisa’s Produce in Powdersville, Fishers Orchard in Greer and Callaham Orchards in Belton may still have some available!

peaches in April

summer peaches

Basket of peaches from Bob and Lisa’s produce in Powdersville