The raspberry canes are bending heavy with fruit, the blueberry bushes are all but weeping berries and the sweet scent of ripe rises right through the muskmelon rinds. Enjoy these simple recipes to help you get the most out of the harvest—and out of the kitchen ASAP.

peach crumbleU-Pick Peach Crumble
  • 1 Standard pie pan

Filling:

  • 1 1/2 pounds ripe peaches (that’s about 8 large peaches or 12 small peaches)
  • 1 cup ripe blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries (thawed frozen fruit works great, too)
  • Lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (you can substitute 2 tablespoons cornstarch)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Crumble:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice your peaches to your preferred size. In a large mixing bowl, add your sliced peaches, cup of berries, zest of lemon (I like to use half the lemon’s zest), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3/4 cup granulated white sugar (you may only want to use a half cup if your fruit is super sweet), 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix these ingredients together with a large spoon. If mixture seems soupy, add a little extra flour to thicken it up. Pour mixture into a pie pan.

In large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut your butter into small cubes, and cut them into the mixture using a pie cutter or large fork. You want the mixture to resemble a thick cornmeal, with the bits of butter evenly distributed throughout. Add in 1 1/2 cups oats and 2 tablespoons of cream. Distribute crumble over peach filling.

Place a baking sheet on the lowest rack of your oven. Cover it with parchment or aluminum foil to catch the overflow while the crumble bakes. Bake the crumble on the center rack for 45-55 minutes or until the crumble is golden on top.

Let cool for 20-30 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Amaretto Nectarines with Mascarpone Whipped Cream
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
  • 4 large ripe nectarines, sliced
  • 8 ounces mascarpone, room temperature
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest

Combine the brown sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and let mixture cool before stirring in the amaretto. Place nectarines in a medium bowl. Pour the amaretto sugar syrup over the nectarines and toss gently to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the nectarines marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.

Mascarpone whipped cream: with a hand mixer in a medium bowl, beat mascarpone, whipping cream, powdered sugar and orange zest for one minute or until soft peaks form. Spoon nectarines into small dishes, layering with mascarpone whipped cream. Serves 4 generously.

MuskMelon in port
  • 4 ripe muskmelons
  • 2⁄3 cup tawny or ruby port
  • chopped mint

Wash melon rind in soapy water and rinse well. Halve melons and discard seeds. Scoop out curls or balls of melon or cut into cubes. Arrange melon in one large or 6 individual glass dishes and add port. Allow to soak for one hour before serving. Sprinkle with chopped mint.


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