getting personal with peaches.

In the midst of posting photos of the wonderful people I get to work with, I've decided to add a little more pizzaz and PERSONALity to this here blog. After all, the phrase "business as usual" doesn't really apply to a home office without a water cooler to tell jokes beside or a Dwight to play jokes on. At the risk of what may come by opening up my insides a little, I'm excited to expose a bit of our lives to you, the people who want to know if the person following you around and taking your picture might break out into song at any moment (this may in fact occur). Plus, I suppose "throwing yourself in your work" can foster the growth of your art---even if there are a few growing pains here and there. So here goes...

Every July since I can remember, my family brought home bushels of fresh picked peaches from a large farm next to my uncle's house in the small town of Woodbury, Ga. I also seem to recall a time when I was young and my uncle, who happens to be the chief of police, showed us what it was like to ride in the back of a police car and get thrown in jail. (Guess that little tactic worked because that was the last time I wanted to be behind bars with nothing but me and a toilet in the middle of the cell!) But the peaches, oh, were they worth it! Don't get between a Georgia girl and her peaches!

As I rationed out the last of my frozen peaches from last year (saving the last one in a stingy manner just in case), the Fourth of July rolled around and I rolled into that town happy to smell the fresh air, see family members and gather my very own box of peaches. This time each year is the epitome of Southernness in my family: slow drawls, big hugs, gallons of sweet tea, bbq and deviled eggs, red-checkered tablecloths, fireworks and peach cobbler. It's like being on a front porch that wraps around for days. 

There's just one problem. I thought I did the math, but then again I never was very good with numbers. My equation went a little something like this: lotta peaches + only two people = peaches till the cows come home. But my love of peaches mixed with a little creativity in the kitchen took over and after enjoying peaches five ways...the bottom of the box is mocking me! It taunts, "You don't have much to freeze and there are cold months to come!" Alas, the box is correct. While I cross my fingers there are still some low bearing branches in Woodbury, Ga this weekend, I'll share a few of our peachy ideas with you: 

Peaches Five Ways:

1. Right off the branch, warmed by the sun. Yes, this counts as dish #1 because if you've been in this exact spot, with sweet nectar dripping down your arms, you know that simplicity is sometimes best.

2. Sliced peaches with plain Greek yogurt and a little drizzle of honey. A lovely morning start or late afternoon snack.

3. Chipotle peach salsa. So glad to have found this recipe because I had never before combined sweet and spicy to this supreme result. Wonderful on pork, chicken and fish (tough tasting quest, but someone's gotta do it).

4. Peach and prosciutto pizza. I already love rosemary and goat cheese with a passion, so there was no question about trying these four ingredients together on some whole wheat dough. Crispy and creamy while salty and sweet. I'll never look back.

5. Peach bread. After doctoring a recipe I found online, I've finally created a wonderful feel-good bread using whole wheat flour, yogurt, peaches and applesauce. And I don't feel bad at all for adding some homemade cinnamon spread when it comes out of the oven.

So there's a little peek into the Sintos household. As well as photographing people, we love food and adventure and often mixing the two. If you have a fun recipe to share, we'll try anything once! And we'll even try blogging a little more often.

Cheers!