Peaches! Ginger! Peaches & Ginger!

And ginger!

It started with peaches, of course. I picked up the best Niagara peaches I could find in Montreal at Chez Nino. Then I had them expertly checked out by our Official Peach Inspector.

fig. a: paw of approval

But on that very same trip to Jean-Talon Market, I scored the most beautiful local ginger from Ferme des Quatre Temps. It was particularly juicy, particularly spicy.

fig. b: now that’s what I call ginger!

Suddenly I had an idea.

I went back home and used the same basic method outlined in “Micro-batch Jellies & Jams.” I peeled and cut my peaches into chunks. I weighed my peaches. I added 40% of their weight in sugar and allowed them to macerate. When it came time to prepare my jam I added a generous amount of grated ginger and its juice.

The resultant jam was magical. The peach flavour was wonderful, but the ginger added additional liveliness and unexpected spice. What a treat!

fig. c: dynamic duo

Even Michelle was impressed. And that’s saying something.

aj

The Time is Now 2: Fruit Cobbler

Here's the plan.

It's early September.  Find yourself the freshest, ripest fruit you can get your hands on.

Could be peaches.  Could be blackberries.  Could even be some early apples.

If you're lucky, it could be the last of your very own plums.  Plums that you picked off your own tree, and cradled just as carefully as you possibly could.

fig. a:  fresh plums

Now make a cobbler with them.  A drop-biscuit cobbler.  Using the recipe that follows.

The recipe comes courtesy of Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer.  But, this being the Social Media Age, I received it from Michelle via Facebook.  When I did, it looked like this:

fig. b:  all mod coms

Pretty cute, huh?

The cobbler that results is a thing of beauty.  It's everything you want in a cobbler.  Crusty and sweet on top, bursting with fruit flavour down below.

fig. c:  let 'em be

This is a recipe that embodies the simple elegance of late-summer cooking--when you're working with the best ingredients, and mostly you just want to let them be.

Remember:  the time is now.

Our plums are finished, but there's no question that we enjoyed them while they lasted.  

Hello, peaches!

aj