Oh-So-Juicy Peach Cobbler

The ever-so-popular peach is now coming into season! Peaches originated in China and were mentioned in the tenth century B.C. as being the favored fruit of emperors. The peach was brought to America by Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century. Today the peach is the second largest commercial fruit crop grown in the United States (second to apples). Enjoy one of the season’s sweetest treats in our easy-to-make peach cobbler.

Ingredients:
4 ½ cups sliced and peeled peaches
2 ½ cups sugar, divided
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
9 tbsp. butter
1 ½ cup self-rising flour
1 ¾ cup milk
½ cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine half of the sugar with peaches and water in a pan on medium high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer for about 10 minutes and remove from heat. Place butter in a baking dish and place in oven to melt. Mix remaining sugar, flour and milk slowly. Pour mixture over melted butter and do not stir. Spoon peaches on top and add the syrup. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top. Bake for about 40 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Recipe by Chef Emily Buller

Summer's Best Food & Wine Pairing Tips

My ideal vision of summer is sitting by the pool (or in the pool on a hot day) with good friends, a large spread of tasty food and several great wines, preferably at least one that is served extremely chilled. So what food and wine combos work best for celebrating summer? We’ve already tested out quite a few this summer and have come up with a list of our favorite pairings.

Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil

This is a classic summer appetizer combination. And although it may feel a bit overdone at times, there is nothing better than a big, ripe, juicy tomato with fresh mozzarella and basil picked right from the garden. And although tomatoes are notoriously difficult for pairing with wine, we recommend a crisp and refreshing Italian Pinot Grigio. You can’t go wrong pairing a classic Italian dish with an Italian wine.

Corn on the Cob

The sweet, simple flavors of fresh picked corn go well with a crisp and off-dry Riesling or a unoaked Chardonnay that will bring out the sweetness of the corn. A simple and easy way to prepare – cover the corn in butter, salt and pepper and wrap the center with one husk. Cover with aluminum foil and throw on the bbq for 15-20 minutes.

Juicy Burgers

Fire up the grill and throw on some burgers. There’s really no better food for a warm, summer night. Whether you go beef, lamb, turkey or veggie, there’s a wine to match. For beef or lamb burgers, we recommend a California Zinfandel or an Australian Shiraz. For turkey or veggie burgers, go for a Pinot Noir or maybe even a Rose.

Sweet Peaches

You really don’t need much more for a summer dessert than a bowl of just-picked sweet, juicy peaches. Pair with a Moscato d’Asti. The peachy flavor of the wine pairs great with the peaches themselves.

Written by Linzi

A Late Summer Garden

We are now in the heat of summer and if you missed out on planting a garden this spring, you may be regretting that decision as you watch the plethora of fresh veggies filling the stands at your Farmer’s Market. Believe it or not, it is still not too late to plant a summer crop. Here are some of our favorites that you can enjoy well into the late summer and early fall.

Culinary Herbs:
Basil-transplant
Cilantro-sow outdoors
Rosemary-transplant
Marjoram-transplant

Veggies to Plant by Seed:
Watermelon
Beans
Cantaloupe
Corn
Cucumber
Melons
Okra
Gourds

Veggies to Transplant:
Sweet Potato
Tomatoes
Peppers