Peaches Revisited

- Merrill

There was a time when I would have insisted that the best -- if not the only -- way to serve a ripe peach is on its own, sans accountrements. Now, however, I'm not so sure.

Last week, we received a contest entry for a delicious peach cake (now a finalist), and in the headnote for the recipe, the author, Savour, recalled how her mother often served her cut-up peaches with milk, sugar and nutmeg for breakfast as a child. This past Saturday, back from the greenmarket with six perfectly ripe peaches, I remembered her description and felt inspired.

Yearning for a bit of tang, I opted for a dollop of crème fraîche in place of the milk. I used brown sugar instead of white and snuck some cinnamon in alongside the nutmeg. Once all of the ingredients were folded together, I found myself cradling a bowl of pure, peachy bliss: the slices of fruit were enveloped in a "sauce" that was creamy, sweet and tart all at once -- and lightly scented with the spices. I've enjoyed this dish for breakfast every morning since, and I can't imagine I'll tire of it before peaches are gone for the year.

Peaches with Crème Fraîche, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Serves 1

• 1 large or 2 small ripe peaches, sliced
• 1 tablespoon crème fraîche
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• dash ground cinnamon
• dash freshly ground nutmeg