a pile of peaches and a brown sugar crumble

 
I sometimes forget that even as the subtle signs of fall are insinuating their way into our days...even as little green acorns start to litter the backyard, a good breeze elicits a few stray leaves into the air, and the shadows are getting  imperceptibly longer and more angular...even so, the height of summer's harvest is right now, from mid August to mid September.  Many backyard gardens and local farms are just now coming to the peak of the growing season. The peach orchards here have only just opened their rows for picking.  I went last week and the fruit was still a little firm.  It didn't leap off the branch into my hand, like completely ripe fruit does.  I had to give it a tug and a twist.  But that's ok, that's even better for baking.

My left arm still hurts from lugging an overstuffed bag of peaches from tree to tree in search of the best fruit.  I seriously have to get back to that bicep machine at the gym.




Brown sugar and almond peach crumble
preheat oven to 375

The filling:

Peel and slice enough peaches to fill a square baking pan about halfway.  I used about 4 or 5. 
Toss the fruit with a tablespoon of flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and a teaspoon of almond extract.  You can do this right in the pan to save a dish.  Mix it all up with your hands.

The topping:
Mix 1 cup of flour, 5 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, a pinch of salt, a dash of cinnamon, a dash of freshly grated nutmeg, and 6 tablespoons of softened butter with your hands until the mixture is a crumbly dough.

Crumble the dough over the top of the peaches, and bake for about 40 minutes until browned and bubbly.

 I recommend this for breakfast with a splash of cream.  Did I hear a collective gasp?  What do you think you're getting with your morning toast and jam?  Flour, butter, sugar and fruit?

 I rest my case.