Peach

Think of pairing fruit in recipes like planning a seating chart at a dinner party. It’s usually a good idea to split up your two anarchist teenage nephews, right? Similarly, in a crumble it’s best to avoid putting two tart berries, like blackberries and cranberries, in the same bowl. For this recipe, I partner the testy blackberry with a dose of mellow peach, whose sweet charms keep the party on an even keel. Also, blackberries tend to lose their structure under heat, while the peaches—like apples and pears—stay true to form and give your crumble hearty body.

To many, ginger is synonymous with either the flabby pink shavings plopped beside a sushi roll or the too-sweet soda you were given on your sickbed. For years, I snubbed the root on those grounds, but after opening the bakery, I quickly found I was in the minority. Here’s the thing you need to remember about baking with ginger: It needs a sidekick, or even two. For me, a subtle peach, baked to sweet surrender, is the ideal complement to ginger’s perfumy heat. For this recipe, corn bread is the naturally sweet and grainy foundation.

This very rich ice cream, with the lush mouthfeel of white chocolate, may be one of my sweetest recipes. Try serving it with ripe peaches and a drizzle of tarragon oil or basil oil (see page 187). You should be aware that this ice cream can take a long time to freeze in a home ice cream maker, and that it will need to cure in the freezer overnight before serving.

One summer, the peaches were so amazing that I didn’t want to do anything to them. Unfortunately, you can’t put a peach on a plate and send it out to a customer. So I chose ingredients—mellow cheeses, sweet and crunchy pistachios, and a mild balsamic vinegar glaze—that complemented the sweet raw peach.

Daniel Skurnick, my past sous-chef, brought me this recipe, which came from his travels through Asia. Since Jean-Georges is also influenced by the flavors of Asia, it was a natural to incorporate this into the menu. It’s a great combination of tastes and textures: The tender peaches contribute their sweet acidity; the rice has a nutty bite; and the coconut glaze contributes the fattiness that gives the dessert such a good mouthfeel.

Amaretti cookies are a must for this recipe; there really isn’t any substitute for that crunchy almond flavor and texture. They’re becoming more and more popular and easier to find, especially in Italian specialty stores, and they last for a long time; so when you find them, stock up.

In the summer, I like to buy large bags or baskets of fresh peaches at the farmers’ market. I eat the perfectly ripe ones immediately and use the firmer (but still ripe) specimens for this amazing dessert combo. But do be sure that your peaches are a little firm; if they’re going soft all over, they’ll fall apart on the grill. Add the cheese mixture right before you serve it so it looks fresh.

Every time I visit Venice, Italy, one of my first stops is Cipriani for their signature Bellini cocktail, a wonderful mixture of fresh peach puree topped with cold sparkling Champagne. To make my milkshake version kid-friendly, just top it off with a splash of seltzer water.

This exciting, inviting fruit salad is especially delicious served with grilled pork or chicken.

As a first course or light dessert, this dish is a showpiece!

Get up and go with this satisfying breakfast drink. For a frosty presentation, put empty glasses in the freezer for just a few minutes while you are preparing the drink.

Grace your dinner table with this show-stopping dessert. It’s the perfect end to a southern meal.

Phyllo dough makes a feathery crust for this vibrantly colored pie.

I’ve never appreciated pies the way I know a lot of other folks do. I love chocolate so much that I always feel if I’m going to eat something fattening, I want it to be super-decadent—and pies, to me, are not. If I’m going to eat something that tastes like fruit, I figure I might as well just eat fruit and save the additional calories to later get my chocolate fix. Then I started cooking fruit more, and it totally changed my view. Granted, I make fruit much cleaner (as in healthier) than putting it in pies, but there’s something really satisfying about a baked peach or a roasted grapefruit that just doesn’t come across in uncooked fruit. This makes a hearty amount, so it’s perfect for when you’re craving something sweet, and lots of it. If you want just a little something, I’d recommend sharing it with a buddy.

Gina: This light-colored sangria, made with white wine, is as beautiful as it is refreshing and delicious. You can make and serve this drink immediately, but it’s even better if you can prepare it in advance, so the fruit flavors have a chance to permeate the wine.

Gina: With a spicy, nutty crumb topping and sweet peaches baked right in, this irresistible crumb cake is a favorite for sleep-late brunches (a good option when you have house guests and everyone had a little bit too much fun the night before). The cake is easy enough to stir together the morning of the brunch, or the night before. To continue the decadence, consider serving peach Bellinis (peach purée with champagne), along with plenty of eggs, bacon, hash browns, etc.

This is a gorgeous dessert and naturally low in calories, as long as you don’t add a ton of sugar and don’t serve it with whipped cream. It just doesn’t need it. In the heat of the oven, as they steam under the topping, the peaches and blueberries meld into a magical, flavorful filling that needs little help from sugar or fat. The spices are really all the fruit requires.