Lately there has been a crispness in the evening that reminds us summer is nearing an end, but the peaches are still plentiful.

Yesterday, after a very juicy bite, I was looking at the fruit’s gorgeous hue. The blush is somewhat yellow, a touch of gold, lots of pink and maybe some orange?? Really a hard color combination to describe!!

It reminded me of one of my favorite semi-precious stones, Imperial Topaz.

Clearly Mother Nature used peach’s palette for other beautiful things.

Imperial topaz is the rarest of all topaz. Discovered in Brazil, it was named after the monarchs who admired it’s golden-sherry hues.

This stone mixed with 18k gold is gorgeous. Flattering for all skin tones, it gives warmth and a rich luminosity. The saying ‘blushing bride’ can take on a modern twist by using this unique stone as an accent piece in bridal jewelry. It’s soft pink color mixes perfectly with the creamy glow of pearls.

These are two pieces I made using the luscious topaz.

If imperial topaz is not on your shopping list this week at least indulge in a few peaches and try this simple recipe.

Peach Cubes
Combine 4 pitted peaches and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in blender; puree. Pour into ice cube trays; freeze. Use in smoothies or cold drinks. Be creative.

My favorite is to plunk one cube into a chilled glass of Prosecco for a refreshing Bellini.

How nice does this sound? Putting on some imperial topaz jewelry, then sipping a Bellini while admiring those last golden sunsets of summer.

Sounds peachy keen to me!!!

Sources:

Rough cut gemstone from Crystal Cure

Three variations of the gem from The Collector Fine Jewelry

Fresh, colorful food is full of vitamins. Eating delicious, pesticide free food is what life is all about. A juicy peach picked that morning is what a peach should taste like.

Eating locally grown food is nothing new. A hundred years ago 95% of Americans lived on farms. Food from nearby farms brought in by horse and cart was how city dwellers survived. In the 1800’s Brooklyn was an expanse of farm land – the highest producing county in America. By the 20th century the farms moved west. By the 1970’s New Yorkers complained of brown lettuce and hard tomatoes while local farms went bankrupt. In 1976 on an empty lot, twelve farmers started the first farmers market. Now NYC has the most thriving network of green markets the country has to offer.

Find your local farmers market. Make a point to meet the farmers and ask questions about the food. They will always have a great tip for you or recipe.

Here are some pictures from one of my recent trips to the market

Peach- Tomato Salsa Recipe

Ingredients: 3 Firm Peaches, 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice, 2 Ripe Tomatoes, 6 Scallions, 2 Jalapenos, Small handful Chopped Cilantro [optional], 3/4 Cup Olive Oil, 1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar, 2 Tablespoons Honey

Cut peaches in cubes. Chop Scallion and Jalapeno into small dice. Coarsely chop Cilantro and mix all above in bowl.

Blend lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar and honey with salt and pepper. Add to bowl and mix well.

Let stand for 20 mins. Delicious with tortilla chips, even better on grilled fish.

Choose golden YELLOW chunks of pineapple, ruby RED strawberries and BLUE berries for the primary colors. Add sunny ORANGE mandarin sections, PURPLE grapes and bright GREEN slices of kiwi to represent the secondary colors.

Voila! A beautiful, light dessert.

Fruit:1 pineapple, cored and cut into chunks

2 pints of strawberries, cut into quarters

2 pints blueberries, rinsed

24 oz. mandarin orange sections, drained1 small bunch of seedless grapes, stemmed

4 kiwi, peeled and sliced

Arrange the cut fruit in wedges around the bowl of dipping sauce onto a platter. (a lazy susan works nicely) Nestle tooth picks between the sauce and fruit.

For a refreshing summer presentation: Stir together 12 oz. lemon yogurt, 1 tsp. reserved mandarin orange syrup, and 1 tsp. poppy seeds, until well blended. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

For a cozy winter presentation: Serve warmed Nutella dusted with cinnamon as the dipping sauce. Garnish using dark squares of chocolate to separate the wedges of fruit.

A cook’s favorite spring green? Tarragon.

Its fresh green color and delicate leaves are the essence of spring. It conjures up tender young shoots pushing up through the earth. Since spring is a time of renewal, why not consider sprucing up your nest with a coat of green paint? Tarragon’s soft green is a great start for any color scheme.

Consider Benjamin Moore’s ‘Liberty Park’ or ‘Shades of Spring’. They are neutral back drops for every color on the wheel, from pastels to brights, as all of spring’s blossoms will attest.

The light licorice flavor has just enough bite to chase away winter’s last chill. Tarragon Chicken is a delicious way to use this herb:

Tarragon Chicken

Preparation – 10 minutes Marinate – 2 hours Cook – 20 minutes

1 tbsp. olive oil
½ sweet white onion
¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. kosher salt
6 limes (or ½ cup bottled key lime juice)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Lightly grease a 9 x 12, oven-proof, baking dish with 1 tbsp. olive oil.

Coarsely chop ½ of a sweet white onion.

Cut fresh tarragon into slivers to loosely fill a ¼ cup.

Toss chopped onion and slivered tarragon leaves with 1 tsp. kosher salt, in greased baking dish.

Squeeze the juice from 6 limes into a separate bowl.

Pour lime juice over the onions and tarragon making sure to strain out any seeds.

Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and stir.

Submerge the 6 chicken breasts in the lime juice mixture.

Cover the dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Set the oven to 500 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.

Let stand for 5 minutes while the oven warms up and the oven-proof dish comes up to room temperature.

Bake chicken, in marinade, for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes the chicken will be tender and the marinade will have thickened slightly to form a fragrant, flavorful sauce. I like to serve Tarragon Chicken on a bed of brown rice to absorb the tangy sauce spooned over the top. A crisp salad or steamed green vegetable rounds out this simple, yet elegant meal.

What dish signifies spring to you?