Peaches: Symbol of Summer
Summer in Italy brings to mind many things: Lounging at the shore, evening strolls, hikes up in the mountains, and… Peaches. Voluptuous, juicy peaches loaded with flavor, to be savored at any time of day. The season begins in mid-June and continues through early September, with white peaches, whose skins are pale green tinged with red, and whose pale white flesh has a delicate sweetness tinged with bitter overtones, and with yellow peaches, whose skins are gold tinged with orange and whose flesh is sweeter and more direct. In the midst of it all there are also nectarines, whose flesh is like that of yellow peaches, though their skins are smooth, not fuzzy. And it all comes to a close with the arrival of late-harvested Cotogne, ugly wrinkled peaches whose yellow skins are shot with green, and whose flesh clings to the pit like a drowning man to a raft. They're getting harder to find now that Italian consumers are beginning to value appearance over flavor, but if you do perchance find some in an Italian market, grab them, because their richness is incomparable.
If they're ripe, and this is one of the great problems with peaches: Unlike apples and some other kinds of fruit, they don't continue to ripen off the tree. Combine this with the delicacy of a ripe peach, which will bruise if you look at it sharply, and you suddenly understand why it can be so hard to find good peaches outside of peach-growing areas -- they spoil before they get to market, or arrive green and tasteless because the producer picked them too soon. Assuming the peaches you find in your market look ripe and are unblemished, before you buy a bag sniff one or two to make sure they have that heady peach aroma. If they don't the fruit won't taste of much, and you're better off buying something else. When you get them home, slip them into the refrigerator, and enjoy them in the space of a few days.
How? The classic Italian way is to slice the peach into a glass, fill the glass with wine, and then eat the slices, spearing them with the point of the knife. The peach adds a delightful accent to the wine, which can be either red or white, depending upon what is produced in the area (in Central Tuscany it's usually red). I have found recipes on the web that build on this most simple of desserts, generally by having one peel, slice and pit the peaches, and soak the slices for several hours in wine to which a couple of teaspoons of sugar and (perhaps) a two of cloves or a grating of nutmeg have been added, but to my mind simplicity is best. Good, dry wine that hasn't seen much (if any) oak, a good peach, and a glass. The sum can far exceed the parts.
Slicing a peach into a glass invites a brief aside: You can encounter unexpected surprises. In particular, worms, which Italians call Gigio (the name, a diminutive of Luigi). Should you find Gigio, discard the part with the critter and enjoy the rest of your peach. There are also bugs that inhabit peach pits and come sprinting out if you split their home. To be honest, I take the presence of either as evidence that the fruit hasn't been sprayed with pesticides.
Returning to peaches (pesche in Italian, pronounced peske, e as in ell) there are occasions when you cannot simply slice your peach into your glass and douse it with wine. Here are some other ideas.
On Site
Pesche Ripiene
Peaches stuffed with
candied fruit and more peach. Delightful!
Charlotte di Pesche
A refreshingly
chille peach Charlotte
Torta di Fichi e Pesche
An unusual
cake made with peaches and figs.
Pesche in Guazzo
Peaches drowned in a
cognac-laced syrup.
Peaches in Moscato Syrup
A rich,
delicate sweet white wine syrup works beautifully with peaches.
Marmellata di Pesche
Peache marmalade
brings summer into the midst of winter.
Albicocche nelle Chicchere
An
interesting apricot custard, and a variation on the theme made with peaches.
Gelato di Albicocche: Apricot Sherbet
Mayflower Spaghettini, or Spaghettini Fior di
Maggio
An unusual peaches-and-cream sauce for pasta. But
tasty!
Elsewhere on About
All About
Peaches
From Diana Rattray, About's Southern Cooking Guide:
Purchasing info, nutrition, and links to a bunch of recipes, including some
with meat.
Peach &
Wine Sorbet
From Peggy Towbridge of Home Cooking.
Peaches!
Yet
more about the Golden Orbs, again from Peggy.
Champagne Melon
Peach Soup
What could be better for a romantic evening? I'm
not sure.
And on the Net
Peach, Strawberry,
and Banana Bruschetta
Although most bruschetta is savory,
this sweet bruschetta is perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Peaches and
Raspberries in Spiced White Wine
Rich spiced pesche al
vino.
Peach
Gelato
From Epicurious; they suggest nectarines if the
peaches aren't ripe.
Peaches Flamed in
Scotch
A tremendous amount of scotch is imported, and finds
many uses.
Buon appetito!
Kyle Phillips
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