It’s peach season and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they hold out long enough for me to can some for winter. In the meantime, here’s the peach gelato that made me swoon, if I do say so myself.

Ever wonder what the difference is between ice cream and gelato? Sherbet and sorbet? As far as I can tell, from my extensive google research, the difference between ice cream, gelato, sherbet and sorbet is something like this:

• ice cream, French = milk, cream, eggs
• ice cream, Philadelphia/American = milk, cream, no eggs
• gelato = milk, maybe eggs, no cream
• sorbet = just fruit, no dairy or eggs
• sherbet = milk, no cream and no eggs

Still confused? Short version: if you taste the cream first, it’s ice cream. If you taste the fruit first, it’s gelato. That’s the official FoodieTots definition at any rate. Now I set out to make Philadelphia-style peach ice cream, but the bottle I had labeled cream was in fact buttermilk; instead I used my cream-top whole milk, so while it has a little cream it is mostly milk. It has the texture and strongly fruit-forward taste of gelato, so that’s what I’m calling it.

Recipe: Peach Gelato

Ingredients:

• 4-5 peaches (1 1/2 pounds), peeled
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)
• 1 cup cream-top whole milk
• juice of 1 lemon wedge

Instructions: I use the boil/ice bath method to peel peaches. It seems like a hassle but trust me, it’s a lot easier and time saving in the long wrong then trying to scrape peels off with a paring knife.  Score the bottom of each peach with a small “x” cut, then drop them into boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them into a colander set in ice water for several seconds, then set on cutting board and leave several minutes to cool. The skins will pretty much slip right off at that point.

Dice the peaches and place in a medium stock pot over medium high heat, add honey and seeds of the vanilla bean. Cook until peaches begin to fall apart, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for several minutes. Add milk and blend in small batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender in the pot. I recommend the regular blender to make sure there are no chunks — in a home freezer, the chunks of fruit get too icy and aren’t as flavorful as in commercial ice creams. Stir in the lemon juice and pour into a glass bowl or pitcher. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator (I leave it overnight) and then process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. (I use the Kitchen Aid ice cream attachment and mix it for 10-12 minutes, until it thickens and reaches a very soft icy consistency, then freeze for 3-4 hours.) Enjoy!

Shared with Fight Back Fridays at the Food Renegade, because once you’ve had homemade ice cream — or gelato — you’ll never go back to that commerical chemical goop from the supermarket.

By this point of the summer, meals at the Foodie Tot house tend to become simple variations of mixed grill or summer salads. To say I am obsessed with the pairing of summer tomatoes and peaches would be an understatement. This Italian bread salad, incorporating the two plus sweet corn, is the perfect showcase for summer’s peak ingredients and is a quick, no-cook, one-dish-meal that’s perfect for busy summer weekends.

Recipe: Tomato Peach Panzanella

Ingredients:

• 4 slices day-old hearty Italian bread or corn bread
• 2 large very ripe tomatoes
• 2 large very ripe peaches
• 2 ears corn, shucked
• several basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces aged white cheddar, cubed

vinaigrette:

• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions: Toast the bread slices and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut the tomatoes and peaches into 1/2-inch cubes as well. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs. In a bowl, layer the bread, tomatoes, peaches and corn. Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to make vinaigrette. Sprinkle vinaigrette and basil over salad and toss gently. Stir in cheese and let stand for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend. Makes 4 servings. Enjoy!

Farms of Origin: peaches, Bigg Riggs (WV); tomatoes, basil, sweet corn, Potomac Vegetable Farms CSA (VA); cheddar, Tom the Cheese Guy (PA); bread (dinner rolls), Valentine’s Country Bakery & Meat (VA); from the Alexandria Upper King Street and McLean Farmers Markets.

More peach & tomato recipes:

• Roasted Peach & Tomatillo Salsa
• Grilled Nectarine Tomato Salad as seen on Cookie magazine’s One Little Bite!
• Chesapeake Corn, Peach & Tomato Crepes
• Pork Tenderloin with Tomato-Peach Compote from Gourmet

What’s your favorite peach/tomato recipe?

One Local Summer is an annual challenge in which people around the world join together for 13 weeks of seasonal eating, supporting local farmers and exploring their local foodsheds. Visit FarmtoPhilly on Tuesdays for the weekly round-up; here’s what my neighbors in the Southern region cooked up this week.

I have been eagerly hoarding the last of the peaches and tomatoes at the market. On this final weekend of summer, I picked up lovely nectarines (Papa’s Orchard) and golden cherry tomatoes at the West End market. As is probably evident by now, I love the combination of peach and tomato. This time, I grilled the nectarines and made a sweet, tangy salad with the cherry tomatoes, basil, feta and a lemon vinaigrette. The smoky flavor of the nectarine is a great complement to these perfectly sweet cherry tomatoes and salty, fresh feta.

Recipe: Grilled Nectarine Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 nectarines, halved and pits removed
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 6 large basil leaves, torn or sliced
• 4 oz. sheep milk feta
• vinaigrette – I mixed together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper

Instructions: Brush the cut side of the nectarines with olive oil and grill over medium high heat until just charred. Remove from grill, chop, and toss with remaining ingredients. Makes 4 servings. Enjoy!

Submitting this for Ramona’s “You Say Tomato” round-up at Houndstooth Gourmet.

A FarmFreshDC Note: The September installment of Farm Fresh DC will be posted Sept. 26. In honor of the official start of fall, we’ll be featuring apples & squash. If you’ve got a recipe to share, comment below or email me at foodietots at gmail dot com. Thanks!

In the Fields: Apple Picking Season is Here! Though it’s hard to tell from the relentless heat this weekend, fall has definitely arrived at our local orchards. Peaches are on their last legs, so if you didn’t get them this weekend you may be out of luck. Apples are ripe, and I was surprised to learn that some varieties are already past their peak. Stribling Orchard in Markham, Va., was our destination this weekend. They have a well-stocked country store where you can find every type of preserved peach, apple or pumpkin product you could want, plus local cheese, fresh-baked pies, turnovers, bread and cinnamon spice donuts. We picked golden and red delicious and Empire varieties. While apples store well and are brought to market throughout the winter, they’re only on the trees for about two months so head out soon if you want to pick your own! The pick-your-own website provides a directory, and the new Farms + Fests page here lists some upcoming apple festivals you might want to check out if you’re local.

Alexandria Market Report: At the markets, heirloom tomatoes are winding down – available last Wednesday at Upper King Street but gone at the West End, and corn is less abundant. Peppers, summer squash, melons and field-ripened tomatoes are still available, Italian blue plums, and a few grapes are in season. Sweet potatoes and the first baby pumpkins are here. Squash blossoms can still be found at the West End Market, and Westmoreland Farms had several recipes printed out for the taking. Norma’s had a few purple tomatillos again this week, which I snatched up for a final batch of Peach-Tomatillo Salsa (recipe below). Tom the Cheese Guy reports that the Del Ray vendors are still negotiating a winter market. He says there is one city councilman who is very difficult to work with but refused to name names. October 19 will be “Oktoberfest” at the West End market, an alcohol-free, kid-friendly event with vendors planning to serve food.

Recipe: Roasted Peach Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 peach
• 1 pt. tomatillos, skins removed
• 1 jalapeno (seeded for milder heat)
• 1 small onion
• 1/3 c cilantro
• olive oil
• juice of one lime
• pinch of salt

Instructions: Drizzle a touch of olive oil over peach, tomatillos and jalapeno. Sear on grill over high heat until just charred. Remove from heat and cool. Chop/quarter grilled ingredients and onion, pulse in food processor with cilantro until desired consistency. Stir in lime juice and salt and allow to stand at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

I grew up in the hills northwest of Portland, Oregon, just up the river from Sauvie Island. This 33 square mile island is a quiet retreat just 20 minutes from Portland and split between farmland and Sturgeon Lake’s bird sanctuary. My family still fishes and kayaks on the island, and the sandy north shore made for an easy “beach” trip when I was a kid. The tug boats, barges and cargo ships were added entertainment, making their way up the Columbia’s ship channel to the ocean.

My brother spent a few summers working the peach stand at Sauvie Island Farms, and the sweet, dusty smell of the orchard is still the essence of summer for me. This year, we took my son and niece peach picking on a beautiful August day that started with a drizzle, but turned sunny as we walked through the orchard.

The kids had a blast pulling each other in the wagons and the toddler was mesmerized by the massive peaches that somehow kept finding their way into his hands.

These incredible peaches were the Veteran variety, about the size of a softball and oh so sweet and juicy.

We were lucky to also catch the tail end of blueberry season, but as the kids seemed to be putting far fewer into the box than they were picking, we had to drag them out of the bushes and restrain them back in the wagon

Now, if you aren’t from the Northwest you may not appreciate the depth of the rivalry between Oregon and Washington (go Ducks!) … but if you do find yourself out that way and venture on to the Island, beware of the big red barn farmstand at the foot of the bridge. We sent my brother and sister-in-law over to get some peaches for Sunday dinner, and they stopped there since the usual place was closed. And brought home Washington peaches. Now, it is a nice farmstand and has some local produce, but it also has the same things you could find at Fred Meyer. I bought some lovely California avocados there last year. So if you’re looking for a more authentic experience, continue down the road following the “u-pick” signs to Sauvie Island Farms. (You can consult the farmer’s wife to see what’s in season.)

Oh, and what to make with fresh picked peaches and berries? Peach Blackberry Cobbler, of course!