NOW IS TIME FOR PEACHES - AND PEACH MELBA!!

I love peaches. Do you? It is a delicius fruit and just now

we have a lot to choose from.

A Little Peach History


Peaches, native to China, have been consumed by man for at least 4,000 years.  The geographical itinerary that brought them to America is similar to other Asian fruits.  It goes like this:  From China they spread to Persia.  From Persia they went to the Mediterranean, (with a little help from Alexander the Great). The Greeks and Romans spread them throughout Europe while the Spanish explorers and English colonists introduced them to America.


Commercial production in America began in the 19th century.  California is the top US producer although they are grown in many other states.  China, Italy, Spain, Greece and India are the leading producers outside of America


A very nice way to enjoy them for a delicius dessert is Peach Melba!

The other day Franks cousin Josep came with a whole basket of lovely peaches. Of course we had them fresh but they were so many that I decided to boil them in water, sugar, a stick of cinneamon and a stick of vanilla. Just wash them and cut them into quarters and boil until tender and the juice thickens a little. It depends of the peaches how long. About 10 minutes. Let them cool and leave them in the fridge for the night.

Now they are ready to eat as they are or with some whipped cream or vanilla icecream. Or as we did as Peach Melba.

Dame Nellie Melba the operasinger

The syrup can be used for other fruit, ice cream, pancakes, etc.  You can simmer it further, sans peaches, to increase its thickness.

For Peach Melba you need to make some rasberry sauce to top with.


Raspberry Sauce


6 oz. fresh raspberries
¼ cup sugar
Splash of Chambord (can be left out)
Rinse the raspberries and whiz them in a food processor until pureed.  Scrape them out into a small saucepan.  Whisk in the sugar.  Bring to a simmer and cook for five minutes, a little longer for a thicker sauce.

(You can finish by whisking in a splash of Chambord and simmering briefly. Chambord is a delicious raspberry liqueur from France).  Work the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove the seeds.


Give it a final stir and cool.

Peach Melba was invented by the famous French chef Georges Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935), in honor of the popular Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba (1861-1931).