Summer Fruits
I have to admit that I’m not a fan of summer, thermometrically speaking; but gastronomically speaking, I sing another tune. Summertime in Oklahoma, to me, is the best time for eating. There’s corn and tomatoes, okra, eggplant, and green beans. Blueberries get their fifteen minutes of fame, and a ripe melon can make your whole day. But perhaps my favorite perk, and the one I’ve come to talk with you about today, is an Oklahoma peach.
The peaches that first show up on the market or in grocery stores are usually of the clingstone variety. You’ve likely experienced this kind of peach: it’s flesh sticks stubbornly to the stone or pit inside. But as the summer progresses, less clingy peaches known as freestone varieties become available. A freestone peach has a pit that pops easily right out of the flesh; it’s essentially a peach on it’s best summertime behavior. You’ll want to use this type of peach for the following recipe.
Nigel Slater’s Salad of Chicken, Mint, and Peaches
IN SEASON
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Apples
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Cucumbers
Flowers
Green beans
Okra
Onions
Peas
Peaches
Plums
Potatoes
Spinach
Squash
Sweet corn
Tomatoes
Watermelon
