Saturn rising
Saturn rising signals the return of Chez Pim from an unscheduled disruption. I hope. The computer trouble will take yet another week or two to be completely sorted, but meanwhile I’m ready to return to regularly scheduled programming here!
You’re wondering what this Saturn thing I’m talking about, aren’t you? Well, it’s the name of those cute peaches in the photo. These flat peaches have quite a few names: Ring of Saturn, Stark Saturn, and Peento among them.
Have you seen them at your local farmers market? Over here in the Bay Area, they are at the height of the season. I’ve been buying them for the past couple of weeks from the Hamada Farm stand at the Ferry Plaza farmers market. They have a delicately sweet flavor with only a hint of acidity and a lovely perfume of white peach.
Alain Passard uses sweet white peach in a summer salad with green almond and pea emulsion. These Ring of Saturn peaches would make a more fun addition to that salad than the regular round white peaches. To make it, be sure to use light vinegar, like White Wine or Champagne, so as not to overwhelm the delicate peach. A little kiss of Acacia honey in the vinaigrette would be lovely too. And remember to add the thinly sliced pieces of peach at the end. Tossing will bruise them too much.
See you tomorrow with the write-up from the Cook-off show down between Top Chef Harold and the beloved Jacques Pepin.