It's a bad year to be a peach in the Lone Star State. A lot of North Texas orchards lost their crops this season to freezing weather and hail storms. Perusing the PickYourOwn.org website for the area, many farmers have thrown in the peach towel for this summer, but promise good things in 2012.
There are some survivors our there, like Ham's Orchard in Terrell, just east of Dallas. "We have an abundance of peaches right now," Judy Ham says.
She attributes the fact that they missed the bad weather to "the good Lord."
"He hangs out over our farm and has been for 32 years. We've never had a bad crop," Ham says of her family business. In addition to peaches, right now they have nectarines, apricots, blackberries and other fruits and veggies available as well.
If you're able to make a run to Terrell for peaches, after the jump is a grilled peach recipe I made up this weekend:
1. You'll need four ripe Texas peaches, cut in half and pits removed.
3. In each pit hole, carefully pour in half a tablespoon of spiced rum. (Yes, I may have a problem).
4. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over each peach and let sit for at least five minutes.
5. Place two scoops of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream in a bowl and leave it on a counter. Tell others in the kitchen that you need it to melt and not to toss it or put it back in the freezer. You can hide it on top of the fridge, which gives off a little heat and will help speed up the process.
6. Put peaches face side down on the top rack of a pre-heated grill and cook for about seven minutes over medium heat.
7. While those are cooking, make a sauce for the peaches by adding two tablespoons of spiced rum to the just melted ice cream. Then pour equal amounts of the cream into four different bowls. It's so easy and yummy it hurts.
8. Remove peaches from the grill, put two halves in each bowl and add a small scoop of frozen ice cream.
So, on the top you have the glorious effects of cold ice cream melting over warm sweet peaches. And on the bottom is a rich sauce with a touch of spiced rum. Serve and devour immediately.
