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I can’t promise this will be my last peach post, but I’m definitely reaching peak peach capacity. My literary mother sent me this poem, “From Blossoms,” which is in Li-Young Lee’sfirst book of poems Rose (Boa editions, Ltd., 1986). I thought it was so lovely, so I’m sharing it with you, too.
From blossoms comes this brown paper bag of peaches we bought from the boy at the bend in the road where we turned toward signs painted Peaches . From laden boughs, from hands, from sweet fellowship in the bins, comes nectar at the roadside, succulent peaches we devour, dusty skin and all, comes the familiar dust of summer, dust we eat. O, to take what we love inside, to carry within us an orchard, to eat not only the skin, but the shade, not only the sugar, but the days, to hold the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite into the round jubilance of peach. There are days we live as if death were nowhere in the background; from joy to joy to joy, from wing to wing, from blossom to blossom to impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom.
Beets at the Green Market, Union Square, New York City:
Description
The chef I worked for at Fork in Philadelphia often paired beets and peaches together in the summer. This is not a tossed salad, but as you serve the salad, the ingredients mingle, and the dressing spreads. Be sure to pass more dressing on the side.
for the dressing:
1 tsp . Dijon mustard
1½ tsp . honey
¼ tsp . kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup cider vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lbs. beets
2 T. pine nuts
2 peaches
4 oz . goat cheese
small handful of basil
dressing to taste
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the mustard, honey, salt, pepper and vinegar. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to mix, but do not emulsify. Set aside.
- Roast the beets: Trim beets of their greens and save for another use. Place beets in a small shallow pan such as an 8 by 8 baking pan or 9-inch pie plate. Fill pan with water to reach an 1/8 of an inch high. Cover pan with foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-high heat until golden. Set aside.
- Cut rough end (not long pointy end) off cooked and cooled beets, and discard. Rub the beets of their skin and discard. Slice beets in half through the long pointy end, then continue cutting into large wedges. Place on a large serving platter.
- Slice the peaches in half, twist gently to release the pit. Cut peaches into wedges about the same size as the beets. Add to the platter. Crumble goat cheese over the peaches and beets and sprinkle with the pine nuts. Scatter small basil leaves over the top, tearing big leaves into smaller pieces if necessary. Sprinkle whole salad with salt and pepper to taste.
- Give dressing a stir and with a large tablespoon, spoon dressing to taste over the top of the salad. Do not toss. Serve, passing more dressing if necessary.
Description
The chef I worked for at Fork in Philadelphia often paired beets and peaches together in the summer. This is not a tossed salad, but as you serve the salad, the ingredients mingle, and the dressing spreads. Be sure to pass more dressing on the side.
for the dressing:
1 tsp . Dijon mustard
1½ tsp . honey
¼ tsp . kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup cider vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lbs. beets
2 T. pine nuts
2 peaches
4 oz . goat cheese
small handful of basil
dressing to taste
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the mustard, honey, salt, pepper and vinegar. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to mix, but do not emulsify. Set aside.
- Roast the beets: Trim beets of their greens and save for another use. Place beets in a small shallow pan such as an 8 by 8 baking pan or 9-inch pie plate. Fill pan with water to reach an 1/8 of an inch high. Cover pan with foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-high heat until golden. Set aside.
- Cut rough end (not long pointy end) off cooked and cooled beets, and discard. Rub the beets of their skin and discard. Slice beets in half through the long pointy end, then continue cutting into large wedges. Place on a large serving platter.
- Slice the peaches in half, twist gently to release the pit. Cut peaches into wedges about the same size as the beets. Add to the platter. Crumble goat cheese over the peaches and beets and sprinkle with the pine nuts. Scatter small basil leaves over the top, tearing big leaves into smaller pieces if necessary. Sprinkle whole salad with salt and pepper to taste.
- Give dressing a stir and with a large tablespoon, spoon dressing to taste over the top of the salad. Do not toss. Serve, passing more dressing if necessary.
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2007/08/19/peach-and-beet-salad/
This past Friday night, after dinner at Buddakan with nine of my high school friends followed by an evening of dancing at Plough and the Stars , two of my friends and I found ourselves famished back in my apartment. Luckily, I found some trusty items in the pantry: popcorn, frozen pizza dough and a whole tray of baklava.
I set to work in the kitchen. I heated oil in a saucepan for the popcorn. I preheated the panini machine. I unwrapped the pizza dough and threw it in the microwave to defrost/rise instantly. (This wasn’t a frozen pizza, rather an unbaked ball of dough.) I had only completed a fraction of my prep work when my friends wandered into the kitchen to inspect — they were really hungry.
Both asked why I had placed a pot on the stove. After explaining the non microwave popcorn process, I handed them the tray of baklava and guided them back into the living room. Kristin happily tucked into the nutty, honey-laden dessert, but Liz, after just a few bites, demanded her homemade pizza! I worked furiously in the kitchen to bring them more food. I rushed them the bowl of popcorn, but neither was impressed: The ratio of unpopped to popped kernels was probably 2:1. They had a valid argument.
By this point I had rolled the thawed dough into a small disk and thrown it onto the panini machine. After a few minutes, I pulled it off and slathered it with fresh ricotta cheese and fig jam. As a finishing touch, I drizzled some truffle oil — Liz’s favorite ingredient — over the top. I brought the pizza into the living room, where I found Kristin on the couch settling into her food coma and Liz on the air mattress awaiting her meal.
We finished the pizza while recounting the evening, our stomachs aching from laughing, nearly crying, and very likely from eating. Kristin went to bed swearing off baklava forever, and while Liz made no mention of giving up her truffle oil, I think she identified with Kristin’s state.
Fortunately, much to my relief, this bold declaration only lasted so long. Around three o’clock the following afternoon, Kristin admitted she was ready to give what remained of the baklava another go.
Baklava
1 lb. fillo dough, thawed in the refrigerator overnight 1 lb. walnuts ½ C. sugar 1 T. cinnamon 1 tsp. cloves 1 lb. clarified butter 1 lb. honey (about 2 cups)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Pulse walnuts in a food processor until chopped (not too finely). Remove from processor and place in a bowl with the sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
Grease a 10- by 15-inch pan with one tablespoon of the melted butter. Layer one sheet of fillo dough on top. Spoon one to two tablespoons over the dough — do not use a pastry brush. (It’s ok if much of the dough is left unbuttered.) Layer with another sheet of fillo. Spoon more butter over top aiming for areas of the dough untouched by butter in the previous layer. Repeat this layering process with half of the fillo, about 14 sheets depending on the box. Spread the nut filling evenly over the top of the fillo, then top the nuts with the remaining fillo, layering in the same manner as before.
Brush the top layer of fillo with butter. Using a sharp knife, score the baklava in a diamond pattern. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and immediately pour the honey over top.
Cut and serve.
