Peaches are a favorite in my family. They are Mom’s favorite. Dad likes them, but not as much as his pears. They are Skip’s favorite and Adrian likes them as well. Me, not so much, but I often make things I am not fond of so I figured it was about time to make a column for this fragrant fruit.

Peach is a small fruit considered a drupe (flesh surrounds an edible seed) and are of the same family as plums, apricots, cherries, and almonds. While originally from Northwest China, they are now produced worldwide and can be found in almost every country. In the U.S., there are several states that have claimed some part of the peach as theirs. Georgia, as we all know, is the “Peach State”, but didn’t name the peach its official state fruit until 1995. South Carolina, however, claimed the peach as their state fruit as early as 1984. Alabama named the peach the official state tree fruit in 2006. Their official state fruit is the blackberry, but they didn’t want to be left out so they named a tree fruit as well. Delaware’s state flower is the peach blossom and the peach pie is their official dessert.

Peaches are tasty, but they are also packed full of nutrients from essential vitamins to anti-oxidants. 1 peach provides 2 grams of fiber. It’s a fairly even blend of soluble and insoluble fibers. The insoluble fibers are known to aid in digestion and regular bowel movements. Soluble fiber is also good though as it provides beneficial bacteria for your gut. Some recent studies published on sciencedirect.com have shown they may improve heart health. There is some evidence they actually bind to the cholesterol produce by the liver and then is excreted out of the body thus lowering cholesterol levels. Research has also shown peaches may actually block the release of histamines in the blood. Histamines are what cause the itching, sneezing, etc. from allergies. Peaches are known to remove toxins from the blood. Studies were done that actually show eating peaches removed nicotine from the bodies of smokers.

Peaches are easy to find year round. They in season now though and will be best around this time of year. The farmers market has had some so see if you can head down and support them! They are also easy to use. They can be baked, grilled, sautéed, flambéed and eaten raw. Use them to top salads, incorporated in cupcakes, to flavor your water or as a smoothie. There are so many options! Make your grocery list and meet me in the kitchen this weekend for some easy recipes using this tasty drupe. A special thanks to Adrian this week who really helped me in the kitchen with the cooking.

Cinnamon Peach Pancakes 2 cups flour 2 Tbsps. sugar ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon ¾ tsp. baking powder 2 eggs 2 cups buttermilk 1 Tbsp. melted butter, plus additional butter for the grill or skillet 2 tsps. pure vanilla extract 1 cup diced fresh peaches, about 2 peaches Fresh peach slices for garnish, I actually used leftover peaches from the peach tartlets below In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder. Add diced peaches and toss gently to coat. In large bowl, beat eggs. Add buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Mix to combine. Add dry ingredients all at once to wet mixture. Mix until just combined. Preheat griddle or large skillet. Place just enough butter on surface to coat thoroughly. Using large spoon or 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto griddle. Cook until bubbles appear and pop on tops of pancakes, about 5 minutes. Edges should also be somewhat dry/cooked. With spatula, carefully flip pancake over and cook an additional 3-5 minutes. Place on serving plate and top with peach slices, if desired. Serve with maple syrup, whipped cream or powdered sugar as desired.

Recipe adapted from 365daysofbakingandmore. com.

Peach Tartlets

1 sheet, ½lb puff pastry 1 egg, beaten well with fork 2 large, fresh peaches 2 Tbsps. granulated sugar 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour ½ tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract Confectioners’ sugar for dusting if desired Preheat oven to 400°F. Thaw pastry 20 minutes at room temp, or until you can unfold pastry. Cut into 9 equal sized squares and place on parchment lined baking sheet, spacing 1-inch apart. Beat egg in small bowl and set aside. Slice peaches into 1/3' thick slices and place in medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla and gently fold together with spatula. Layer 3 to 4 peach slices over center of each pastry square. Avoid getting peach juice on pastry edges. Brush pastry edges generously with beaten egg. Bake 1719 min or until puffed and golden at edges, turning sheet halfway through baking. Do not over-bake. It browns quickly towards the end. Remove from oven and let cool on pan 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Recipe from natashaskitchen. com.

Peach Cookies

½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup powdered sugar ½ cup unsalted butter softened ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 large egg ¼ tsp. salt ½ tsp. cream of tartar ½ tsp. baking soda 2¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup diced peaches Preheat oven to 350°F. In large mixing bowl, soften butter. Add oil, sugars, vanilla, egg, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. Mix with electric mixer to combine. Add flour and peaches. Stir with wooden spoon to combine very well. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Using cookie scoop, scoop dough and place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 18-20 minutes or until done. Allow to cool 5 minutes on pan. Remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Recipe from cantstyoutofthekitchen. com.

Peach Parfaits

3-5 fresh peaches – sliced or diced as desired 2 Tbsps. unsalted butter ¼ tsp. cinnamon, and extra for topping 1 Tbsp. clover honey 1 cup cinnamon granola, more or less to taste 1 3.5oz box French vanilla pudding mix Milk called for on pudding mix 4 clear cups or glasses for serving In medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in honey and cinnamon. When mixture begins to bubble, add sliced peaches and cook until peaches are hot about 1 to 2 minutes. Gently spoon sauce over the peaches as they are cooking. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely. Prepare pudding as directed on box. Place 3 or 4 slices of the cooked peaches on bottom of each serving glass. I covered bottom of each. Top with liberal amount of granola. Slowly pour vanilla pudding into each cup over peaches leaving enough room for more peaches and granola. Set aside to cool for a few minutes or refrigerate for about 10 minutes. Top with another layer of cooked peaches and then granola. Sprinkle with cinnamon as garnish if desired. Return to the refrigerator to fully chill for at least 2 hours or more. Serve chilled.

Note: while they can be made the day before, the granola will get soggier the longer they sit. It’s best eaten within 24 hours of making.