Long Summer Days

The long days of summer provide the hours of sunshine that fruit-bearing plant need to complete their cycle. This time of year, farmers markets burst forth with fruit of virtually every kind. For some some, it is rich red raspberries or deep dark blackberries cane-berries that get their attention. Others prefer the sweetness of strawberries or the crisp taste of a melon.

For me, summer means stone fruit, the nectar of the gods. It starts with the luscious mahogany red cherries, progresses through the bright yellow-orange of apricots, the purple-violet of plums, the yellow-red of nectarine, and, of course, the pink-orange-red of peaches.

The color peach represents immortality in Chinese civilization. A key concept in the mythology of the Taoist religion, the peach tree of immortality is thought to be on a mountainside somewhere in western China. Peach trees are believed to have originated in China, brought to India and Western Asia in ancient times, introduced into Europe after Alexander the Great conquered the Persians, brought to America by Spanish explorers in the 16th century and eventually to England and France in the 17th century, where it was a prized, albeit rare, treat.

The urge to do a swan-dive at the sight of juicy, summer peaches is a powerful one. They are here and gone in all too short a period of time. Fortunately they freeze well and our chest freezer is usually home to several bags of sliced peaches, waiting to instantly transport me to a warm summer's day.