Two weeks ago the first freshly picked peaches from my favorite local stand, Allred Orchards, became available. (Believe me when I say that my eyes filled with tears as I turned into the parking lot.)
We've already visited Allred Orchards three or four times since they opened for the season. We are on our third half-bushel box. On Saturday afternoon I stopped by on my way home to snag another and all that was left were a few 1/2 peck bags. Before I knew it, they were all getting snatched up and quickly grabbed the last one and a gallon of their frozen apple juice from last year's apple crop. (Once the peaches are gone, we pacify ourselves with Allred Orchards fresh apples and apple juice. Oh, how I love that place.)
I was washing dishes yesterday afternoon. I had some fennel soup simmering away on the stove and I was dreaming about how I wanted to eat those delectable fuzzy peaches for dessert. My mind wandered to my herb garden that is slowly coming back from the dead. The winter was hard on it. The lemon thyme finally came back and I judiciously snip tiny bits to use every other day or so. My poor lavender is barely hanging on. Lavender and peaches. That sounded perfect. My lavender didn't bud much this year, but I have some I bought from Penzey's awhile back, so all was as it should be.
Then my mind wandered back into the kitchen and into the fridge where a half-gallon of heavy cream was waiting to be used. Half-gallon? That's the way it should be purchased in the summer for ice cream, panna cotta, and fools. I'm a fool for a good fool. And I set my heart on making a Peach Lavender Fool for dessert. Fresh peaches, a pinch of lavender buds, a little lemon juice and sugar to sweeten. Perfect.
My little kids didn't care for this grown-up dessert. My son, Fritz, has hated peaches since the first time I gave him peach puree when he was a baby. Oh, how he cried when he realized the white fluffy stuff in the tea cups was not vanilla ice cream, but whipped cream with peaches. My girls tasted it and asked if they could have homemade peach ice cream instead, which I gave them. Then my husband and I sat down and enjoyed out dessert without our children dipping their spoons into our cups. It worked out just fine for everyone. Except Fritz who is still asking when I'm going to make him some vanilla ice cream. Soon, I say.
If you don't like lavender, omit it or substitute some fresh thyme or rosemary. If you are like my son and hate peaches, sub strawberries or raspberries. Or any summer fruit--I'm thinking plums would be out-of-this-world.
This makes four, 1-cup servings, unless you are like us, then it's only 2 servings. :)
Peach Lavender Fool
2 large peaches, peeled and diced, about 2-3 cups total
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. culinary lavender
1 cup heavy cream, very cold
In a medium bowl, combine the peaches, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice and lavender. If desired, use a potato masher to mash the peaches a bit. (If you want to puree the peaches, don't add the lavender until after.) Cover and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat the very cold heavy cream with 2 Tbsp. sugar until stiff peaks form. Place in fridge until ready to serve.
Just before serving, fold 1 cup of the peaches into the whipped cream being careful not to over stir or deflate the cream. Divide the fool into four serving bowls and top with remaining peaches.
Yield: Four, 1-cup servings.
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More recipes using lavender:
Blueberry-Lavender Ice Cream
Lavender Limeade
Lavender Heart Sugar Cookies
