It’s Peach Season and we simply can’t get enough!
This is the week when it seems we have every wonderful local fruit possible. Muskmelons, blueberries and raspberries, tasty apples, plums, and the show-off of the season – fresh, juicy peaches.
I stopped at the farm stand and smelled the peaches the second I walked through the door! I bought a big greedy bagful, and was tempted to try to eat one in the car on the way home. That would have been a mistake.
The first bite into this golden treasure, drips down my chin; I don’t care, and I have absolutely no trouble being “in the moment.“
There will be a batch of peach cobbler, peach jam for later in the year, of course, and for a brief time, they will be a constant star in morning fruit salad. If we have company, some peach ice cream might magically appear, but one of the easiest way to make a grand statement with peaches is to grill them.
This is one of those simple brunch recipes that you can also serve at any dinner for dessert, and they are great hot or at room temperature. I often served them as a starter for breakfast at the inn, and never a complaint!
The peaches are the star
The peaches are the star when they are in season, but you can substitute any fresh stone fruit when at their best: apples, plums, pears, or even exotic pineapple, use your imagination. The grilling brings out the natural sugars, and elevates their simplicity. If it is raining, you can cook these nicely in a cast iron frying pan.
Sprinkle with whatever berry is good. Blackberries, blueberries, Autumn strawberries, and raspberries, would all be great. Enjoy my secret recipe Ginger Rum Sauce as well…
While making this dish, you have to listen to Greg Brown’s “Canned Goods.” Taste a little of the summer!
Grilled Peaches with Ginger Rum Sauce
- 6 ripe “freestone” peaches
- 2 tbsp. melted butter or olive oil
- 4 tbsp. brown sugar
- Berries
- Nuts or crystalized ginger to garnish
Select peaches that are local, ripe, with a lovely peach aroma but still firm. Large ones are easier to work with, and make sure you get “freestone” and not “cling” or you won’t be able to cut them apart easily. Ask. Slice peaches in half all around lengthwise, twist, and separate so you can remove the pits.
Brush with butter or olive oil. Place the brown sugar in a shallow dish or baking sheet and place the peaches cut-side down to set for a few minutes. During this rest, the sugar will melt and coat the peaches evenly. The sugar is not essential, but it does add a lovely flavor that enhances the peaches, but if you want to leave the sugar off, the peaches will still be sweet and delicious.
Starting with flesh side down, grill until nicely colored over indirect coals (this is good to do after the rest of the meal is grilled and the coals are wearing out). You can use your outside grill, a grill pan, or iron frying pan on the top of the stove. Turn only once, and finish grilling until peaches are cooked. It doesn’t take long, and just a minute on the second side. You will want color, nice grill marks, but not mushy fruit, so don’t walk away.
Place two peach halves on each plate and drizzle with Ginger Rum Sauce, a little maple syrup, or a Raspberry Vinegar sauce. Eat as is, or sprinkle with berries and chopped nuts if desired. My grandson loves it with some minced mint as well. Of course, it all tastes better if you eat it in the garden.
You can also make a lot of these ahead of time to serve as dessert for a party, arranged on a large tray.
Ginger Rum Sauce
Shh, this is as simple as it gets…
Melted ice cream, yum! When we were kids (and even now) we all loved the ice cream “soup” left in the bowl at the end of the treat. Nothing is easier than transforming this childhood memory into a luscious sauce for many types of desserts, not just grilled fruit.
To top the peaches, I use a ginger ice cream from our local Walpole Creamery; local is best, but use what you can find nearest you. You can use any flavor ice-cream that you love! My husband would prefer a really good vanilla, but peach on peach is pretty wonderful too. You don’t like rum? Use ginger brandy, or leave it out and just use the melted ice cream as is.
- 1 cup ginger ice cream
- 2 tsp. Meyer dark rum
Let ice cream melt. Mix in rum. Drizzle over peaches. Done.
This is one of my favorite ridiculously easy “secret recipes.” Coconut ice cream works well here too! Or maple walnut…
Raspberry and Vinegar Fruit Drizzling Sauce
This one is tart and tangy, but extremely flavorful and as easy as it gets. Mix together 3 tablespoons of raspberry liquor, 1 teaspoon of champagne or white wine vinegar, and a small pinch of salt.
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Mmm, that ginger rum sauce sounds tasty!
Thank you Dave! It is tasty indeed, and the hardest part is remembering to take it out of the freezer to melt…
Yummy!
This looks simply delicious, and it’s a beautiful arrangement. Our local peach farm does something I’m not crazy about. They restrict the yellow peaches to half a bag and force you to utilize their white peaches to fill the bag. I don’t like the white peaches and they don’t seem to work as well in recipes. Next year – new peach farm. 🙂
I’ve never heard of something so outrageous Judy! I do not like the white peaches at all, so I’d be really miffed if someone tried to force me to take them. They are obviously not well liked, so they should drop the price of the white ones!
Thank you Dorothy for all these fabulous peach recipes. I want to jump into the featured photo and eat away.
Ah, but you’re just a bit too late this time Bernie, they disappeared quickly, but at least the camera got to eat first!
Can this be any prettier and yet oh so easy. I love coming over for a visit my friend. I’ll probably have two helpings of this.
Enjoy your Tuesday!
I will save you a serving, or two….
Great idea, to use ginger ice cream and rum with the peaches. The “soup” created must be so very tasty! 🙂
Thank you Ronit! It is absolutely delicious!
It all sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try 😊
Easy and so very good!
sounds flavorful and healthy
It’s really good! Never any complaints!
☀️☀️☀️
Oops, hate to be the one to point out your mistake, but 2 teaspoons of dark rum? THAT can’t be right. Sure you don’t mean 2 cups? 😂
LOL. You can go ahead and use two cups if you like, everything is about personal preference! I’m sure you’ll think the dessert marvelous…
I love ginger. Never tried peaches and ginger though- this would taste delicious.
I love peaches and ginger together, they play nicely!
YUM!
Thanks!
Ginger is one of my favourite rhizomes and that ice cream soup with rum sounds delicious…Yeah for peach season ….
I love, love, love ginger too!!!!!
Dorothy, I’m like you….sinking my teeth into a fresh peach sounds irresistible. 🍃🍑💦
Ah! Peach season!!!!! Making jam today!
(I’m jelly.) 🍃🍑
😆🤣😂😝
I love the song of ginger rum sauce!
It’s a beautiful melody Lady A!
I’m drooling Dorothy, please pass the rum sauce!
Jenna
It’s one its way round the table!
Wow! And Yum!
Thanks! These are soooo good!
Your recipe hits right in the spot. I remember my mom and dad canning in Kerr jars. I hope to do canning of peaches and using your recipe soon dear Dorothy! 💞🎶🍽👩🍳
Ah! Canned peaches! Reminds me of one of my favorite songs by Greg Brown “Canned Goods” it was a hit when we hosted him at a concert here in Vermont! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb-0ZCqga48
I’m intrigued about trying fried peaches—something I’ve never had before. Peaches aren’t near the top of my favorite fruits, but biting into a ripe, juicy peach never gets old.
Give it a try Pete! They are so good when grilled or lightly broiled, even more juicy!
LOVE the melted ice cream trick, Dorothy! And I giggled when you wrote about being unashamed to have the peach juice on your chin. When I was a girl, my grandfather used to tear open these giant peaches with his hands and we would share them with the same carefree spirit! So sweet…
Yes, eating a peach should be done exactly as we ate them when we were eight! With sheer delight, and definitely in the moment!
Love sweet peaches in the Summer ❤️
They are so delicious, truly the flavor of summer at its best.
A bit of rum by gum ! Fabulous, Dorothy, what a delicious idea!
Thank you! Delicious and easy to make as well!
Simply delishious!
Thank you Gwyn! They were delicious!
Yum! I’ve never tried grilling fruit, but I think I will need to now! 🙂
It totally transforms the fruit! Hope you enjoy!
What a great dessert!
Thank you! Simplicity at its best.
Wow this sounds absolutely amazing!!
Now I envy you 😋😋😋
Oh, they were good! I’ll save you some next time!
Sounds delicious. What time did you say you were serving this???
Just about Septemberr 1, 2022!
Okay. It’s a date! Ha, ha.
I have it in my calendar!
Thanks Sally! I appreciate the mention!
Hi Dorothy, what a lovely idea for peaches. Our peaches are just starting to grow. I won’t have time for jam making this year with my book deadline so I’ve decided not to net the trees and to let the birds get fat.
Well, I think that sounds like a lovely plan Robbie! The birds will be forever grateful!
Thank you for another great idea, Dorothy. At first i had ment you want us to grill peas. LOl Lesson learned. 😉 Have a nice week! xx Michael
Hmmm, Michael, I don’t think I’ve ever grilled peas, but I think grilled sugar snaps would be delicious! You never know where a food idea will come from!
I’m experiencing peach envy.
They were so good this year!
We live not far from a peach orchard. I’ll have to make sure we get some next year.
I think I would hang out there all the time! The closest to us is about 15 minutes away, if you don’t count my very tiny, two-year old tree that gave me three apricot-sized peaches this year!
Rare miniature peaches, perhaps?