When my family immigrated to America, we moved to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. My parents had worked long hours and sacrificed to buy a small farm. As grateful as we were, it was at times lonely to be so far from family and friends. It was especially hard for my mother to leave my grandmother. They were very close.
Before long my mother met Mrs. Burgess, our neighbor. Mrs. Burgess was a widow and retired dairy farmer. She took my mother under her wing and taught her how to preserve and can food. That first summer we had a huge garden. It was so exciting to go out in the morning and harvest vegetables. We had never had a garden before. The very best part however, was going to the orchard to pick peaches. It doesn’t take long to fill up a couple bushel baskets. There is nothing better than a peach just picked from a tree. The feel of peach fuzz tickling your lip as you bite into it’s sun warmed flesh, its nectar trickling down your chin. it’s the taste of summer.
I can picture the family gathered around the table with a basket of peaches in front of us. Each of us carefully selecting a peach. We had never even had a fresh peach before and suddenly we were blessed with so much abundance.
I am older now then my mother was that first summer. I still love a summer peach even if I can’t pick one off a tree. I recently baked a Peach Crumb Cake that was big hit with the family. My husband loves to takes some to work with him as an afternoon snack. I wrote out the recipe just in case you would like to try it for yourself. The best part is that you will likely have all the ingredients on hand except for maybe the peaches, but canned peaches work too.
Peach Crumb Cake
1 egg, well beaten
2/3 c sugar
1/2 c melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c diced peaches
Beat together egg, sugar, butter and vanilla. Add sifted dry ingredients alternating with milk. Then add in peaches. Pour into a greased 9″pan. For the topping we will mix up the following ingredients and sprinkle it over the cake.
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c melted butter
Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Optional glaze: After cake has cooled whisk 1 c powdered sugar, 1-2 tbsp milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Drizzle over cake with a spoon.
Enjoy!
