Peach Parade

Some measure the seasons by the weather, clothing designs, or perhaps even holidays. But how about by what's fresh on your supermarket shelves. This time of the year is one of my all time favorites. Not only because I am chronically cold and so 90 degree days are the only ones I can feel good about going sweater-less, but because of the glorious peach. I can actually remember the best peach I ever had: at a farm stand on the North Fork in Long Island on my way to the restaurant I worked at....in 1999. (Yes, those digits are typed correctly). That is not to say that other peaches I have had since then were bad. It is just that that particular peach was THAT good. A recent love story: peach halves brushed with molasses, grilled on the barbeque, and then drizzled with a port wine and basil dressing. YUM! I also love them diced with arugula and feta cheese or on top of a scoop of vanilla yogurt with a few slices of almonds. A couple weeks of marching left in this parade. Then it'll be time for pumpkins to take the batton.