I’ve just seen the first box of peaches! It’s the best time of the year for me, driving past the orchards speckled with masses of blossom.

Often the first are not the best but I could see by the depth of their rosy colour that these ones were juicy. I bought a box, carrying them home on my lap on the train. Ah that peachy smell again, fragrant and yummy, with the juice running down to my elbow.

I’ll probably poach these and eat them with vanilla ice cream. A scoop of caramel ice cream by Michael Broughton at Terroir restaurant in Stellenbosch wouldn’t be half-bad either, or maybe Richard Carstens from Tokara (also in Stellenbosch) could concoct a grown-up peach melba, the dessert wizard that he is!

I know what my family’s going to say (teasingly) when I get home tonight: “Guess what’s in season?” Next it’ll be mangoes, but not quite yet. I can’t wait.

I also can’t wait to announce our Top 10 winners of the 2011 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards – exactly a month from tomorrow. It’s a secret kept very close for so long now. Too much waiting, I tell you…

In the meantime, happy eating!
Abigail

Image: iStockphoto