Poached Peaches and Ice Cream

In the heat of August, the combination of juicy peaches and fresh cream is delightful and satisfying — even more so with ice cream. Fortunately, August is also National Peach Month, and many fruit farms across the state are offering pick-your-own experiences. If you’d rather it be a bit easier, grab a basket of soft, fragrant peaches from a local farm stand. Check ripeness with a light squeeze; a little give indicates ripeness. For slicing, the freestone variety is easier to halve and cut, while clingstone varieties do just that — the pit is hard to separate from the flesh. Low-acid, white-fleshed peaches, great for mashing up for a bellini, are just as tasty as the yellow-fleshed cultivars. Peaches and nectarines are the same species, and both are members of the rose family, and are a close relative of almonds. Peaches are a good source of vitamins A, B and C, while a medium peach contains just 37 calories.

Serves two
3 medium peaches
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoons peach schnapps or Flag Hill Spiced Rum
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Ice cream, store-bought or homemade
Whipped cream, in a can or homemade

Directions

Toast the walnuts in a saucepan over low heat with 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Stir constantly for a minute or two, and don’t let them scorch. Remove from pan and set aside.

Slice the peaches and toss into the same pan with more butter if necessary. Add the lemon juice, honey and cardamom, and cook while stirring for about 6 to 10 minutes or until the mixture gets syrupy. Add the schnapps or rum and cook briefly.

Pour the peach mixture into low bowls. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and maybe some whipped cream too.
Sprinkle with the toasted walnuts and enjoy summer.