Disclaimer – I began this blog post over a month ago when it was still prime peach season in South Carolina. But, then I started either nesting or napping during most of my free time. Then we took our annual summer trip to Maine. Now it’s practically mid-August and the only peaches to be found are most likely from California, which are fine, just not as delicious as SC peaches (in my unashamedly biased, South Carolinian opinion).
As a native South Carolinian, I grew up eating my fair share of summertime fruit and vegetables – cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, okra, green beans and peppers right out of my grandmother’s garden or from my uncle’s farm. Last month we went back for a quick visit to celebrate my grandmother’s 80th birthday and the 4th of July. By the time we left, our car was lovingly loaded down with a bounty of produce – tomatoes and cucumbers from my grandmother’s backyard, russet and blue potatoes from my sisters’ shared garden, and peaches from Callaham Orchards.
For me, getting that basket full of local peaches from Callaham’s roadside stand is one of the most exciting parts of going back home in the summer. Even though Georgia is known as “the peach state”, SC actually produces more peaches annually than its neighbor. In 2015, SC produced 68.9 thousand tons of peaches compared to GA’s 40.6 thousand tons (statista.com).
But, no matter what state your peaches are from, I highly recommend enjoying them in one of these three ways..
Peach Crumble
I made this for July’s Southern Cookout themed Cooking Club. I used the same recipe I use for Blueberry Crumble, substituting peaches for the blueberries and topped it with vanilla bean ice cream.
Grilled Peaches
The next time you’re grilling out, try throwing a couple of peaches on the grill. They pair well with meat as a side dish, or as a dessert with ice cream. You won’t regret it! Just cut the peach in half, remove the pit, and brush with olive oil. Grill each side over medium heat until you see grill marks appear. If you like a little more direction than that, try this recipe.
Peach Oatmeal
I grew up eating (and loving) the instant packages of peach oatmeal for breakfast. Remember how good those were? Well, the homemade version with fresh peaches is a million times better.. and still so quick and simple!
- Heat up 1 serving of unsweetened, whole grain oats
- Stir in maple syrup, to taste
- Top with 1/2 of a peach (peeled and diced)
What’s your favorite way to eat peaches? Let me know in the comments below!
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Happy stirring!
xoxo, Stacey
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