Not bad James, not bad at all!

So as you all know, MOH Kelley was in town this weekend, and with her she brought a special surprise. See, last year, Kelley’s husband was away on business, and you know us girls, while the boys are away the girls will play… she planted a peach tree in her front yard. That is my kind of gal.

They fondly named him James, (SHAME on you if you don’t get the reference) and his first crop of peaches came through this year. No one really thought they would amount to anything or ripen, but James was the little engine that could. These peaches are perfect! Way to go James! This makes me too excited, because for the last month I have been DREAMING of buying a blood orange tree. I feel terribly guilty buying such a superfluous fruit and knowing it’s been shipped all over creation just to get to me. If you didn’t know, blood oranges are naturally grown in Pakistan and the Mediterranean, but there are a few novelty orchards in California. Now, I’m a locavore kids, so I feel like an asshole buying these. If I could just buy my own blood orange tree (79.99 from William & Sonoma, thankyouverymuch) I would be able to crop and groom and water him and have my very own blood oranges. Dad usually says “Where the flip are we gonna put a tree in our 12th story apartment and the cats will eat the leaves.” To him I say “SCOFF YOU ARE SUCH A MINDLESS CONSUMER” not really, he’s not the one buying blood oranges! But he doesn’t care about local faire the way I do…

Anyway, James, the little peach tree that could, made for an EXCELLENT peach crumble.


Peach Crumble

6 cups fresh peach slices, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, cold, cut in 8 pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9" X 9" glass baking pan or 2 quart stoneware baking dish. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss peeled and pitted ripe peach slices with 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, 1/4 flour and lemon juice and arrange in prepared baking dish. Set aside.
Combine 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, rolled oats and a dash cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until blended.
With the food processor running, add cold butter a few pieces at a time. Pulse until the butter is incorporated and looks like coarse meal.
Spread topping ingredients evenly over the peaches and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until peaches are bubbling through and the topping is starting to brown. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes or more before serving.

Sorry, we couldn't wait.....we had to get in there....

Love,

Whit