Philosophizing About Food With Francine: Summer Stone Fruit Galette

by Francine Black

Summer desserts with the gloriously ripe freshly picked fruits of late July!

I love using stone fruits: peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries – any fruit with a single pit or stone.

Stone fruits are highly seasonal and do not ripen much once they are picked, so harvesting at their peak is ideal. For this, we must look to our local markets.

They are delicious eaten raw, of course but they hold up beautifully in pies, cobblers, cakes, tarts, on the grill and, of course, cooked down into preserves. Naturally sweet, they are fairly low in calories and rich in fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C.

Here, I prepared a galette filled with peaches, apricots and a few plums for just a touch of color! This is an absolutely foolproof treat for a summer evening.

Make it round, oblong, or cockeyed, it matters not. What matters is the excellent pastry crust that is simply thrown together in the food processor and, of course, fruit picked locally at the peak of perfection.

Here in Berks County alone there are about 1,767 farms totaling 208,478 acres of land use! Of those, 163,086 acres are cropland and of those, 8,453 acres are dedicated to fruits and berries. Imagine how fortunate we are to have access to such bounty. I love patronizing our local farm stands and I’m sure you all have your favorites too.

Enjoy the wonderful fruits from the glorious orchards that surround us here in southeastern PA.

High in the mountains above Bally, where the dense groves of treetops seem to touch the sky, is Francine Black, Boyertown’s own version of chef Julia Child. Her daily activities reflect the things she most values: family and friends, music, and lovingly prepared food.

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