Kids Cuisine

The thing that appeals most to me about fresh peaches is their smell. To me, a fresh, ripe peach is one of the definitive smells of summer (along with sea air, sunblock, the leaves of tomato plants, freshly cut grass, and fried dough).

When peaches appear at my farmstand market, the entire aisle they sit in is perfumed with the evocative scent of my favorite season. I can’t pass them by.

As far as eating peaches out of hand, I’ll admit that I’ve never been a big fan of their fuzzy hide - for this reason, I’m more of a nectarine girl. But in pies, cobblers, and sorbets, nothing beats fresh peaches.

This sorbet is a snap to make because you don’t have to peel the peaches first. Leaving the peel on imparts a lovely rosy-orange tint and nice texture to the sorbet. Removing the skins will result in a smoother, pale yellow sorbet. Older children can help with pitting and slicing the peaches; younger kids can measure and stir.

Fresh Peach Sorbet

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
6 fresh ripe peaches (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds), washed, pitted, and sliced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until boiling; let boil for 1 minute. Place pan in an ice-water bath or refrigerate to cool. Place sliced peaches in the bowl of a food processor and sprinkle with lemon juice. Pour cooled syrup over peach slices and puree until smooth. Pour pureed peach mixture into ice-cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s directions. Place sorbet in freezer to ripen for at least 3 hours before serving.

Makes about 1 quart.

Photo by me.