Who was it who said that all good things must come to an end?
As one who believes in the resurrection of the body and life eternal, I’ve never held to that old saw.
There does come a time, though, that we need to set aside certain things we love to focus on the people we love. When you see the photos a bit farther on in this post, you’ll understand why I’m pressing pause on my weekly posts to you, at least for a time.
“Listen to your life…in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” Frederik Buechner
But before I go, I’ve been experimenting with a recipe I want to share with you! Peaches are in season, and I brake whenever I pass a farmstand with those juicy orbs on display. (Did you know the botanical term for fruits with stonelike pits is a drupe?)
Given our location just north of Georgia and northwest of South Carolina, it’s a tossup as to which of our sister states produces the best peaches. Partisans have been known to get up in arms over which state is the Peach State and which is the Tastier Peach State (and you thought southerners were still fighting that other war.)
Just before a caravan bearing very special cargo arrived Sunday night, I pulled a peach pie from the oven that FINALLY lived up to my pie-making aspirations. Since I can’t invite you all over to have a piece with me, here’s the easy recipe!
Peace Ridge Peach Pie
Two-Crust Pastry (If not made from scratch, I use Pillsbury. Warm to room temperature.)
6 (for regular pie) -8 (for deep dish) fresh peaches (*blanch first for easy peeling)
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 Tbsp flour
¼ cup small pearl tapioca
½ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water
Line pie plate with crust, fill with sliced peaches. Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, and tapioca and sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Top with second crust and brush with egg. Sprinkle top crust with a little sparkling sugar and cinnamon. Place on baking sheet and bake at 425 for 20 minutes, then cover crust with foil so it doesn’t get overly brown. Lower heat to 350 and bake 20-25 minutes more until juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool on rack. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream!
*To blanch, boil water in pot large enough to submerge peaches. Reduce to simmer. Cut shallow X into base of peaches. Lower into water for 30-60 seconds, then immediately remove with slotted spoon to ice water bath. I use apple corer for uniform slices. (It will only go partway down due to the pit but it makes it simple to separate slices.)
And the reason why I’m baking pie and pressing pause on the blog for the next month or so?
THEY’ RE HERE!
Our older son’s family has moved from New England to North Carolina, and they’ll be living with us for however long it takes to find an affordable home near the medical specialists they’ve located for baby Jane. She’s still on a feeding tube but can also hold her own bottle now. When she sees us, her face breaks into a huge smile.
Just the way mine does when I think about you all, too.
I hope to return in August with more Views from the Ridge.
Life is sweet, friends. Have another slice!
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Maggie Wallem Rowe is a grandma who lives and writes from Peace Ridge, her home in the mountains of western North Carolina. She's the author of This Life We Share and Life is Sweet, Y'all, but her greatest joy is family. That includes you!
