Peaches and Pesto

I spent the afternoon yesterday at Peach Park in Clanton, Alabama with my granddaughters Gates, Julia and Arden.  It is a about an hour away, so unless I have other business down that way it is just an annual trip.  They sell everything peaches, along with other fruits and veggies. They also have a sandwich shop with good BBQ sandwiches and after you've had  lunch, the best peach ice cream and peach cobbler ever!  Even the small bowl of ice cream is several scoops big.  Peach park  is an exit or two past the big peach water tower which welcomes you to the Clanton peach growing area if you are traveling South from Birmingham.

They really do have a small park area adjacent to the restaurant and store so we had a good time going out there to swing on the garden swings, look at the fish in the pond, and take a few pictures.  There is an outside porch and balcony if you choose to dine out there. I purchased a large basket of peaches which should be at peak ripeness tomorrow.

This afternoon I made a good batch of pesto with basil from my garden.  Yes, I did put some on one of the peaches before writing this, and it was an excellent combination.  It would have been even better with a little bit of feta cheese crumbled on top (but then I like feta cheese on almost everything).

My pesto recipe is a combination of recipes I've tried , and it depends on what is on  hand in the pantry (translation; what I have forgotten to pick up at the market).

Pesto:

4 cups fresh basil leaves, washed,  patted dry , and stripped from stems.
12 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese or 1/2 Romano, 1/2 Parmesan
1 1/2 cup fine olive oil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pine nuts, or pistachios
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Grind all ingredients in a food processor using 1/2 cup of the olive oil.  Add the remaining oil a little at a time and process until it is creamy and smooth.  When storing, cover the top of the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil.  It may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks, or frozen in small containers  for several months.

Last Summer, my friend Jane served a dollop of pesto over baked summer squash at a dinner I attended.  It was a delightful blend of flavors .  You can use it over  pasta, chicken, or mushrooms. 
Last weekend I took a batch to my hiking club's annual lake party to use as an appetizer.  I put it out in a bowl with a tray of  large cubes of Italian bread around it.  There wasn't any left over, and I saw people coming back for more, so I think everyone enjoyed it

Experiment and have fun!
Susan