Peach-perfect dessert

First, thank y'all for the good wishes on the new gig. Just putting it out there has done a world of good in terms of making it feel real. Now, on to the deliciosity.

So you live in Georgia. You (conveniently) love peaches. But you're married to a picky-face who hates nearly all fruit. Hates fruit! I know. I don't get it either. Anyway at the farmer's market peaches come in ridiculous quantities, which means you gotta get creative if they're not going to spoil.

Last summer I discovered this peach pound cake, which was awesome. This not-even-summer-yet it's already too hot in the kitchen for baking. So now what?

Peachy caramel ice cream topping

What you need:

• 2 tbsp butter (not margarine)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Splash of water or peach schnapps
• 1 peach, peeled and diced

Start by melting the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. As soon as it starts to bubble, add the brown sugar and stir. The brown sugar will melt, but the mixture will stay a bit gritty.

 It smells kinda strange. Be not deterred!

Here's where you add the water or peach schnapps. I didn't have the booze on hand so I used water. If you do try the schnapps, use a grill lighter to ignite and burn off the alcohol. The flavor will remain. Yum. Simmer until the mixture gets smooth, and coats your spoon.

 You can stop right now if you want plain caramel.

Now toss in the peaches and keep on cooking and stirring until the fruit is as soft as you like.

In hindsight, I should have cut these pieces smaller.

Spoon over ice cream, and if you're feeling fancy garnish with a peach slice.

I was decidedly not feeling fancy.

Yields enough topping for 5 or 6 scoops of ice cream.

Variations: I suspect apples, pears, and all kinds of berries would be super-yum in this recipe. Or try just about any fruit-flavored liqueur instead of/in addition to fresh fruit. Just be careful with that flambe, my friends. Scorched kitchen curtains have a terrible bouquet.

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