While most everyone was physically traveling to their vacation destinations this summer, books were responsible for my virtual time and place vacations this year. With my head filled with so many thoughts along with some shifting perspectives and my heart bursting with so many emotions, I wouldn't even know where to begin if I had to write one of those back to school 'What Did You Do on Your Summer Vacation?" essays. As much as I consider myself an avid reader, the number of books read over the course of the last couple of months may have set a new personal reading record. My only regret is having read some of them a bit too quickly, not slowing down to savor the writing. A year or two from now I worry I won't be able to remember the endings of these books. In his article "The Curse of Reading and Forgetting" Ian Crouch captured my book memory loss fears perfectly. "Reading has many facets, one of which might be the rather indescribable, and naturally fleeting, mix of thought and emotion and sensory manipulations that happen in the moment and then fade. How much of reading, then, is just a kind of narcissism-a marker of who you were and what you were thinking when you encountered a text? Perhaps thinking of that book later, a trace of whatever admixture moved you while reading it will spark out of the brain's dark places." Quite possibly the only cure for the curse of such forgetfulness would be not to read a book more slowly but to to read it more than once. I don't think twice about making something I love more than once. I suppose I should start thinking about approaching books the same way I approach food. Especially desserts!
With the stone fruit season lasting only for another month, these Grilled Peaches drizzled with honey, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, and topped with slightly softened vanilla ice cream need to go on repeat. I wouldn't want my palate to forget the taste of or even miss out on the sweetness of grilled summer yellow peaches!
Whether choosing peaches to grill for salads or dessert, look for ones that are neither too hard or too soft. Once you get the feel for a 'just right' peach you will never forget it.
White peaches have a slightly sweeter taste than yellow peaches, but do not hold up as well when baked or grilled. For that reason, I recommend the red-orange skinned yellow peaches be used in this dessert. Cutting the peach along and around the fruit's natural dimple makes it easier to twist them open.
Keeping the peels on the peaches helps to keep them intact. It also makes for one of the easiest desserts you will make all summer.
If you own a cast iron grill pan, you can make these inside. If not, make them on your outdoor grill. Because the grates on my gas grill don't create good grill marks on some fruits and vegetables, I usually place a stainless steel grill top, lightly oiled, on the grates. It works perfectly every time.
The oil will help to keep the peaches from sticking to the grill, but dipping the peach halves in melted butter adds another layer of flavor to the caramelization on the grilled peaches.
Simple ingredients create incredible flavors. A sprinkling of flaky sea salt, a drizzle of honey, maybe even some bits of honeycomb, and a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream take the grilled peaches from a simple dessert to an extraordinary one. Definitely one of those memorable ends to a meal. One bite will definitely leave an impression. But for a lasting impression, you need to eat an entire grilled peach. Of course with the honey and ice cream. It will definitely be one of those 'no regrets' moments in your life.
If you are looking to read any really good books in the weeks and months ahead, here are the ones I have read in recent weeks. Or rather besides eating grilled peaches, this is how I spent my summer vacation. More than a handful of them are ones I would put in the should probably read twice category. In no particular order, here they are: The Most Fun We Ever Had (Claire Lombardo); Running Home (Katie Arnold); Boy Swallows Universe (Trent Dalton); The Nickel Boys (Colton Whitehead); Searching for Sylvie Lee (Jean Kwok); This Is How It Always Is (Laurie Frankel); The Great Believers (Rebecca Makkai); The End of Loneliness (Benedict Wells); The Night Tiger (Yangsze Choo); Ask Again, Yes (Mary Beth Keane); and, When All Is Said (Anne Griffin)
If you are looking to read any really good books in the weeks and months ahead, here are the ones I have read in recent weeks. Or rather besides eating grilled peaches, this is how I spent my summer vacation. More than a handful of them are ones I would put in the should probably read twice category. In no particular order, here they are: The Most Fun We Ever Had (Claire Lombardo); Running Home (Katie Arnold); Boy Swallows Universe (Trent Dalton); The Nickel Boys (Colton Whitehead); Searching for Sylvie Lee (Jean Kwok); This Is How It Always Is (Laurie Frankel); The Great Believers (Rebecca Makkai); The End of Loneliness (Benedict Wells); The Night Tiger (Yangsze Choo); Ask Again, Yes (Mary Beth Keane); and, When All Is Said (Anne Griffin)
Grilled Peaches
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
6-8 perfectly ripe medium sized yellow peaches, cut in half and pitted
2-3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Honey
Honeycomb (optional)
Flaky Sea Salt
Vanilla Ice Cream
Directions
1. Heat grill pan (or outdoor grill). When ready to grill peaches, lightly brush with oil.
2. Place melted butter in a small shallow bowl. Dip each peach half in the melted before placing them face down on the hot grill. Grill for 3-4 minutes or until grill marks appear.
3. Turn peaches 90 degrees and grill for another 3-4 minutes or until grill marks appear.
4. Remove from grill and transfer to a serving platter.
5. Sprinkle grilled peaches with flaky sea salt and drizzle on some honey.
6. Either top peach halves with scoops of vanilla ice cream or serving grilled peaches in individual serving bowls and top with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes: (1) Take your vanilla ice cream out of the freezer when you start grilling the peaches so it has time to soften slightly. Not only does this making scooping easier, the vanilla ice cream will slightly melt creating a very rich sauce for the grilled peaches. Use a high quality vanilla ice cream. I use Ben and Jerry's Vanilla Ice Cream. (2) The recipe can easily be modified if serving less or more than 6 to 8 people. You can make just one grilled peach for yourself!