Peachy keen for peach season

There is nothing better than a perfectly ripe, juicy, drip-down-your chin, naturally sweet, summer peach. Peach season, June through September, is here and is gracing produce stands with a sunset of colors.

Originally from China, peaches quickly spread through the European continent and were later brought to the United States by the Spaniards in the early 1600s. Peach trees thrive in warm temperate climates, and today can be found growing in Georgia, California, Texas, and South Carolina.

Peaches, along with plums and apricots, belong to the rose family. They are a stone fruit due to the hard seed or pit found in the center. Peaches have a distinct rosy blush skin that is covered in a unique fuzz and contain a pinkish-white to yellow-gold flesh.

Peaches are a low calorie food, full of vitamins and nutrients. They are an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, potassium, and a variety of vital antioxidants.

When selecting, choose peaches that are firm to the touch but whose flesh gives slightly when squeezed. Fresh peaches should have a strong aroma and be brightly colored.

Avoid peaches that are bruised and blemished or overly green in color.

It is best if ripe peaches are consumed immediately, however, to store, place in refrigerator for 3-5 days. Under ripe peaches should be stored at room temperature until ripe enough to eat, approximately 2-3 days. To freeze, wash, peel and remove the pit from ripe peaches. Place in a tightly sealed freezer safe package and freeze for 3-6 months.

There is nothing like a fresh flavorful peach for a simple summer snack; but peaches can lend themselves to a variety of dishes and cooking methods. They can be eaten raw on cereal, in salads or salsa and even blended in smoothies.

Bake peaches in pies, cobbles, and cakes or whip up a batch of peach jam. But use caution and remove the skin of the peach before baking as the skin will become tough.

Grilling, another marvelous cooking technique for peaches, will intensify the natural sweetness and bring out the juiciness.

These kabobs, with peaches, pork, onions, and sweet potatoes; are grilled to magnificent perfection and screams summer!

Honey PorkTenderloin Kabobs

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4 

1⁄2 cup honey

1⁄2 cup mustard

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into one-inch cubes

11⁄2 (pound) pork tenderloin, cut into one-inch cubes

3 medium unpeeled peaches, pitted and quartered

2 small yellow onions, each cut into 4 two-inch pieces

(as needed) salt and pepper

(as needed) skewers

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Soak skewers in water for at least 15 minutes, while preparing vegetables.

Mix honey and mustard in a bowl; stir well and set aside. Steam sweet potatoes until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Thread 2 sweet potato cubes, 2 pork cubes, 2 peach quarters, 2 onion pieces alternately onto each skewer.

Brush kabobs with honey glaze mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Lightly oil grill.

Grill over medium-hot coals 5 minutes on each side.

• Chef Heather Hunsaker attended and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. Currently, Chef Heather serves as a freelance writer and recipe developer for meal planning site www.foodonthetable.com.