In the height of late summer, nature bestows upon us luscious, sun-kissed peaches - each bite a symphony of flavors, a perfect blend of tangy and sweet, reminiscent of sunlit orchards and leisurely afternoons. Inspired by the bounty of these delicious fruits, we felt compelled to give them a little extra love with our Le Hammeau simple syrup. Lemongrass, rose and sage bring a herbaceous & slightly savory touch to your favorite sweet peaches.

Bon appetit!

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup Bellocq Le Hammeau loose leaf tea
• 6 Saturn Peaches (or your favorite peach)
• squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of corn syrup (optional, but prevents crystallization, if you’re prone)
• Sprigs of fresh herbs such as lemon verbena, lavender, chamomile and a peel of citrus (optional, but lovely!)

Directions

1. Prepare the simple syrup: Combine the granulated sugar, water, lemon juice and syrup in a small saucepan. Stir, over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add the loose tea; cover and set aside for at least 2 hours or overnight. Strain sugar syrup, discarding tea leaves. This step may be done up to 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare the peaches: Prepare an ice water bath and set aside. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Using a paring knife, make a small ‘x’ on the bottom of each peach. Gently lower each peach into the boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water bath. When cool enough to handle, starting at the ‘x’, carefully peel away the skin of each peach.
3. Put the strained tea syrup in a clean medium saucepan. Add the fresh herbs, flowers and citrus peel, if using. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, add the prepared peaches reduce the heat to medium-low and poach until tender, about 15 minutes. Peaches may be prepared 2 days ahead and stored in their syrup, refrigerated, in an airtight container.

Don't Forget

The peach poaching liquid is full of ripe, summery goodness and should be saved to use in your favorite cocktails, mocktails and spritzers. The peaches are perfect on their own along, simply enjoyed with a few crisp, buttery shortbreads, or a savory wedge of sheep’s milk cheese and Marcona almonds. It might be chic to add a few slices to a tumbler of chilled, effervescent Lambrusco.

Enjoy!