Fresh Peach Crisp

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This yummy peach crisp is summer personified, bursting with fresh local peaches and topped with crisp oats and brown sugar. And for those of us who love warm, homey, fruity desserts, it’s the ultimate in comfort food.

Hello friends! We all need a little comfort food now and then, don’t we? I know I do! Especially after the July I just had… You probably noticed I didn’t write any blog posts at all last month. Along with all of my expected fun July activities like Tommy’s ROTC Advance Camp graduation in Ft. Knox, Kentucky, and hosting Sara’s 20th birthday party here in Steamboat, my brother and I unexpectedly had to move our father from his apartment in assisted living, to memory care. For those of you who have family members with cognitive decline, you understand how challenging this is. And even more so if you realize that your loved one’s care facility isn’t the right one for them, as we quickly realized with our Dad. I found myself making the 6+ hour drive back and forth between Denver and Steamboat 2-3 times a week for 3 weeks during July and early August, to spend time with my Dad and also sort out a new care home for him. And thanks be to God, we’ve been able to find a new place for him that we feel really good about. I’m also very thankful that all of this happened while I’m still in the US, rather than making an emergency trip over from Manila.

With all that time on the road and away from home, I ate out a lot. Too much! So now that I’m back home for the week, I’ve loved having the luxury of time to cook and bake, especially yummy desserts that make us all happy.

So let’s talk about this peach crisp, shall we??

In Colorado, we’re lucky enough to get peaches from the Western slopes of the Rockies. The sun is warm and conditions are perfect for growing sweet, juicy, tree-ripened fruit. Once you’ve had a “Palisade” peach, it’s hard to go back to grocery store ones. They’re only available from mid to late July until early September, so we make the most of them while we can. These peaches are amazing eaten fresh out of hand… just be sure to have a napkin nearby because I promise you will have peach juice running down your arm!

This fresh peach crisp is my other favorite way to use Palisade peaches. The gentle baking deepens and concentrates the fresh peach flavor while retaining the essence of its summer goodness. I like to keep the sugar and spices to a minimum… just enough to enhance the peach’s sweet tanginess without overwhelming it. The crunchy oat topping can be used for any fruit crisp- it’s a mixture of oats, flour, brown sugar, and just enough melted butter to hold it all together in delicious, crumbly bits. Peach crisp is actually one of the healthier desserts you can make… (as if you need an excuse!) Peaches are high in Vitamin C, potassium and fiber, and the oat topping adds even more fiber, with less fat than you’ll find in many desserts. But beyond health, it’s just so delicious, especially warm from the oven when it can melt a bit of vanilla ice cream. That is reason enough to make it… so let’s go!

Here’s to comfort food, and happy August!