big red peaches, roadside

My brother is graduating from university in Florida, so my family hopped in the car to head down for the celebration this past Saturday. I was excited for a couple of reasons - the obvious one as well as the promise of the unknown on a road trip. Deviations from the planned route are always fruitful.

The trip from Atlanta to Gainesville is a 6-hour one, and about two hours in I'm distracted by the promise of roadside peaches. (Well, I was first distracted by the Forest Park Farmers Market, but unfortunately we didn't have time to visit - but maybe next time).

I was not going to miss these peaches. So as we approached the Fort Valley, Ga. exit, we veered right and headed five miles down the road to the Southern Orchards. Corn fields were on the right, pecan plantations were on the left. My excitement was building.

On the right was a large white building - the packing facility for the goodies surrounding it - inviting visitors inside. There were more than just peaches (although they grow 30 varieties) - there were Vidalia onions, the sugar-sweet variety originating from a town only 100 miles southeast of Fort Valley; there were Georgia vine-ripened tomatoes, big and beefy; but my most inspiring find were local blueberries, like none I've ever tasted. No hint of tartness, only pure, sweet flavour. I spent the next few days forcing anyone who couldn't get away in time to taste these blueberries. I never found someone who said they weren't the best they ever tasted.

There were also sauces bottled on-site; my mother picked up peach hot sauce and a bottle of pecan oil. But I was more interested in what I could make at my brother's celebratory barbecue the next day.

Georgia peach salsa
(serves everyone)

2 large Georgia 'Big Red' peaches (the last of the peach season - mid-August), pitted and chopped
3 large Georgia vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 med-large Vidalia onion, chopped small
1 med red pepper, diced small
1 small handful of cilantro/coriander leaves
juice of 1 lime
seasoning - salt, pepper, and my favourite New Orleans blend, Tony Chachere's

Combine and serve - allowing it to sit and the flavours to mix for half an hour doesn't hurt.

The salsa got rave reviews, even by the college boys that I expected to eschew the salsa on the grounds that it had peaches in it. (I forgot that college boys will eat anything.) The only complaint was from my friend who didn't like cilantro, but I do think it was an important part of the recipe - for flavour as well as colour.