It’s a peachy keen time of the year for a harvest of fun foods with peaches

Compiled by Sally Tippett Rains with Suzanne Corbett, STL Sports Page Food / Travel Editor

There’s a reason August 22 is “National Eat a Peach Day” and then two days later on Aug. 24 it’s “National Peach Pie Day” with the peachy keen theme culminating with Aug. 27 being “National Peach Day.” Suffice it to say, mid to late August is the perfect time to make something out of peaches.

It’s still hot outside and peaches are refreshing.

“It’s the peak of peach season right now,” said Roger Krull who ought to know since he is the owner of Roger’s Produce, 625 E Lockwood Ave. in Webster Groves, “They’re very juicy and very sweet. All of our peaches are local, homegrown peaches, and there are a lot of fun things you can do with  them—and they are on sale right now.”

He used the perfect word: “fun.” STL Sports Page’s motto is: “Do Good. Have Fun. Play Baseball” and with our “Fun with Food” segments in our podcasts we have added “Cook fun food.”

With that in mind, we want to encourage you to make a big effort to get some peaches and start having fun with them.

“Peach cobbler, peach pie, peach, jam, are all very good with the homegrown peaches,” said Krull. “They won’t disappoint.”

And while you are in the produce aisle or at a produce stand getting locally grown fruits and vegetables, you can breathe a little easier knowing there is less chance of contamination  which can cause the problems that have been in the news lately with the cyclospora and salmonella. If you get a whole peach and clean it off, the worry diminishes.

There is still a lot of time left for the fresh fruits and vegetables grown by the local farmers and if you get the fresh-picked varieties you know what you are getting and you can control  the environment by rinsing all fresh fruits and vegetables well under clean running water before you eat them.

There is nothing quite as delicious as  fresh produce, and in particular, a nice, juicy peach. Now that we’ve got your salivary glands going, let’s cook fun food using peaches.

“Be sure you get good peaches,” says Suzanne Corbett, STL Sports Page Food / Travel Editor. “Different peaches at various stages are used differently. For instance, you can use the over-ripe peaches in jellies, pies and other cooked recipes.”

To watch the cooking demonstration, CLICK HERE.

For those who don’t know how to pick good peaches at the market, Corbett offers a tip.

“You want to grab it by the stem area and press gently,” said Corbett. “A good peach will give slightly but not be mushy. And while we are at it, don’t squeeze the peach. And don’t put them in the fridge. If they are not yet ripe enough you can put them in a paper bag which will help.”

“Do not refrigerate peaches,” adds Krull. “Let them get a little soft. They deserve homegrown flavor and sweetness. if you refrigerate them too long, they don’t ripen well.”

Where to buy fresh peaches in the Greater St. Louis Area

Of course, the local supermarkets, Schnucks, Dierbergs, Aldi’s and the others have produce, but there are also many produce stands and markets which can be very fun to shop this time of year.

Rogers Produce in Webster.  Krull and his crew say  July and mid-summer stands out as the prime window when their local and organic stone fruit supplies are fully stocked. And since summer doesn’t officially end until Tue, Sep 22, 2026, now is as good a time as any.

Eckerts, which has a farm in Belleville and Grafton, Illinois as well as one in Versailles, Kentucky, say peach season typically begins in mid-June and runs through mid-August. Their family farms advise this eight-week window for the best, sweet, flavorful, farm-fresh peaches right from the source.

Stuckmeyer’s Farm in St. Louis reports that August is peak season, with fresh peaches and melons fully in stock at their Fenton farm store and Arnold Farmers Market location

The Tower Grove Farmers’ Market highlights fresh, locally grown peaches as a core feature of its peak summer produce lineup. As mid-August arrives, local peaches remain a staple alongside seasonal favorites like tomatoes and sweet corn

Kirkwood Farmer’s Market, located at 150 East Argonne Drive in Kirkwood, MO says their local peach season is active now, with farm vendors operating daily.

Soulard Farmers Market currently has fresh, homegrown and tree-ripened peaches available. Peak local peach season is in full swing, and various produce stands at the market are stocked with fresh yellow and white varieties

These are just a sampling of the great opportunities to get fresh produce in this area. Why are you not planning a trip to a produce stand right now?

Once you get your haul—including those delicious, juicy, and flavorful peaches, we have two fun ways to use them: In a skillet meal for dinner and as a topping for ice cream. You can’t go wrong with either.

Scarborough Fair Peach Chicken is an original recipe Corbett put together for us. Many of a certain age will remember the Simon and Garfunkle ballad Scarborough Fair, with the line: “Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.” All of those spices are included and that’s why she chose the name.

For a more complete look at how she makes it, check out our video.

Scarborough Fair Peach Chicken

4-6 chicken thighs, 4-6
olive or vegetable oil
flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
4-6 fresh sage leaves
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
6-8 sprigs of thyme
3-4 fresh peaches, sliced
2 ½ cups white wine or chicken broth
parsley for garnish

In a large skillet heat oil over a medium high heat. While skillet in heating dust the chicken with flour and season with salt and pepper.  When pan is hot, add chicken and sauté until browned on each side. Add in herbs and peaches, reduce heat and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes. Remove cover, pour in wine and all to simmer until wine is reduced and becomes a smooth sauce.  Remove to serving platter, garnish with parsley and serve. Makes 4-6 servings.

Suzanne developed this original recipe for STL Sports Page.

A few tips from Suzanne on making Scarborough Fair Peach Chicken:

“I like to use Artesian Salt. from West Virginia. They take Artesian Wells and dry out the salt on screens and then they harvest the salt.”

You wouldn’t think salt would make that much different but the type Suzanne uses comes from seventh -generation salt-makers who pump natural brine from the Artesian Wells and the process in the greenhouse where they dry it on screens is called solar-evaporating and they hand-harvest it.

Now all the recipes we post can be altered a bit, say if you don’t have some of the spices or Artesian Salt, but the combination of all of that makes for a savory, delicious meal.

“What if you are Jonesing for this in the winter when there are no fresh peaches?” she asked. “Frozen peaches work just as well.”

And why wouldn’t you be? Look at how delicious this meal looks cooking on the stove? On the back burner is the Hot Honey Glaze, the front lef are the Pan Seared Peaches, and to the right is the skillet meal.

Corbett says you can also make all of this on your grill in the backyard. In the middle of the winter, if there are any peaches at all, they will be hard and have much less flavor. That’s why freezing some fresh peaches is a good idea. Now that it’s peach time, peel and slice extras and freeze them so you will be able to do that.

Another easy way to enjoy peaches is on ice cream. Depending on what your desires are as well as any health restrictions, there are great ice creams and frozen yogurts that would take to peaches  perfectly.

Grilled or Pan-Seared Peaches with Hot Honey glaze

4 firm ripe peaches, unpeeled and cut in half
lemon juice

For the hot honey:
8 ounces honey
½ cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder

Sprinkled peaches with lemon juice. Place flesh side down on hot grill or a buttered heavy skillet. Grill or sear until peaches are charred on edges. Remove from grill/pan. Serve drizzled with hot honey glaze.  Best if serve with ice cream.

Another easy way to enjoy peaches is on ice cream. Depending on what your desires are as well as any health restrictions, there are great ice creams and frozen yogurts that would take to peaches  perfectly.

One traditional way to enjoy peaches with your dessert is bring home some Ted Drewes Frozen Custard or any other similar type of frozen custard. Andy’s comes to mind. Clementines Ice Cream would be good.

Another is to buy store-bought and whether you need to cut down on sugar, carbs, want to add chocolate chips, there is pretty much anything you want available in the ice cream aisle.

But we are all about fun so we thought we’d make homemade ice cream. We found a very easy-to-use Cuisinart ice cream maker on Amazon and away we go.

Homemade Ice Cream with a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

Ingredients

• Whole milk: 1 cup
• Granulated sugar: ¾ cup
• Salt: 1 pinch
• Heavy cream: 2 cups (cold)
• Pure vanilla extract: 1 tablespoon [1, 2]

Preparation & Churning

• Mix: Whisk the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves completely.
• Stir: Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
• Chill: Cover and put the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours (or overnight) to make it very cold.
• Freeze Bowl: Ensure your Cuisinart freezer bowl has been frozen solid in your freezer for 6 to 22 hours beforehand.
• Churn: Turn on your Cuisinart ice cream maker, pour the chilled liquid into the frozen bowl through the top spout, and let it mix for 20 to 25 minutes until thick and creamy

(This is the recipe that comes with the Cuisinart ice cream maker and we found it made great ice cream.)

Adding the Peach Topping:

You can cook peaches  (shown left) as Suzanne suggests, or just peel them and scoop them onto the ice cream. It is all a matter of taste. Some people like the peel on the peach, as shown in the photo, left. the peaches are pitted and cut in half but the skin is left on. This way can make for a dramatic presentation.

Wash the peach, using a paring knife, peel the skin off and then cut in half, taking out the peach pit. Slice the peaches.

Cooking them makes the topping softer and richer, however raw fresh peaches give a bright, juicy crunch, while cooked. You can also grill the peaches—with the skin on or off for a warm, jammy texture and deep flavor. If you grill them, you can grill them sliced or just cut in half.

There are those who would rather peel and slice the peaches, as shown in the photo, right. Once you peel and slice a peach you can do anything with it– including make pies, jelly, or even just serve on a piece of toast for breakfast in the morning.

They can also be frozen once cut and peeled. You will need to use something to keep them from browning– lemon juice or ascorbic acid will work. Some people prefer to add a little sugar or stevia. How you eat your peaches is up to you.

A few fresh peaches and some whipped cream can give you a great late-summer treat.

Check out our “Fun With Food” Segment on the @STLSportsPage YouTube Channel CLICK HERE