Fredericksburg peach clafoutis

Yesterday I drove all the way to Fredericksburg to pick my own peaches. My friends think I've lost my mind. It's far, gas is expensive, it takes a lot of time, and it's hot in the orchard. But I'm not sorry I went through all that trouble. The flavor is unbelievable! I bought 24 pounds of the Sentinel variety for just under $1 a pound. The Sentinel ripens early and is very sweet. Of course I'm sharing the bounty with friends, keeping only about 12 pounds for myself to eat fresh, make ice cream, and clafoutis - a favorite French dessert for which my recipe is written below.

The orchard I chose is about 5 miles before Fredericksburg on IH-10 coming from San Antonio. In a few weeks, watermelons and cantaloupes will be ready. While I was there I bought zucchini and blackberries too. Visit Marburger Orchard at http://www.marburgerorchard.com/

Clafoutis is a custard with fruit baked in it. This one is made with peaches, but I also use the recipe for cherries, apricots, plums, and any other fruit of similar consistency. I like to serve clafoutis cold, perhaps 5 minutes after being taken out of the refrigerator. You can also serve it warm, after you take it out of the oven and let it cool.

1 tbsp of unsalted butter
4 or 5 freshly picked peaches
3/4 cup of heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
6 tbsp sifted flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 small pinch of salt
optional: you can add a few blackberries with the peaches

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a hand-held mixer until frothy. Add the flour, sugar, milk cream, vanilla and salt; and mix until the batter is homogeneous. Set aside in the refrigerator. Butter a 10 by 10 baking dish, wash the peaches and peel them if desired. Cut them in pieces or slices and arrange them in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the peaches and bake in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the oven. When the top looks light brown, slide a clean knife in the clafoutis. It the knife comes out clean, then the dessert is ready. Let it cool to room temperature and serve or cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate.

Zucchini Soup

All the vegetables are from Verstuyft Farm, except for the garlic and thyme. I grow herbs so I always have thyme. The purple garlic is from some far-away place.

The quantities listed below may certainly be adjusted to your taste. The cooking times aren't set in stone either, and everything is approximated as I don't weigh or count minutes when I make soup.

Zucchini Soup (serves 6 to 8)

2 tbsp of REAL butter
1 onion
2 large cloves of garlic
2 large zucchini (or 4 medium ones)
2 small potatoes
1 tomato
4 cups of hot water
1 tsp of salt (add more if necessary)
A pinch of white pepper
2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Peel the onion and garlic, wash and slice all the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large pot and cook the onion and garlic until they are soft but not brown. Add the potatoes and cook on low-medium heat with the lid on for 3 minutes then add the squash and thyme, and cook for another 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, heat up 4 cups of water in the microwave, two at a time if necessary then add the water, salt, and pepper to the squash. Cook on low to medium heat for another 10 minutes. When the squash is cooked, remove the sprigs of thyme and set the soup aside until it is cool enough to puree with a hand-held mixer. If the soup is too thick, add hot water at needed.